Children entering the emergency department (ED) have unique needs, and it’s crucial that Ontario’s EDs are ready. Every child deserves optimal, high-quality ED care, regardless of their presenting health concern or where they live in the province. It is imperative that all EDs in Ontario are paediatric ready – a state achieved by having care coordinators, staff with paediatric competencies, sufficient resources, paediatric-specific policies and procedures, and appropriate equipment in place.
The Emergency Department Paediatric Readiness (EDPR) initiative is a quality improvement project aimed at enhancing emergency care for children across Ontario. Key aspects include:
- Assessing the current state of paediatric readiness through a province-wide survey
- Identifying strengths and opportunities for improvement across six domains:
- Demographics and Infrastructure
- Coordination of Care
- Staffing and Training
- Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
- Policies and Procedures
- Equipment and Supplies
- Sharing resources to help Ontario EDs enhance their paediatric readiness
- Monitoring the provincial ED system’s progress in paediatric readiness over time
This initiative is an adaptation of the National Pediatric Readiness Project (NPRP) led by the Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Program in the United States.
PCMCH developed a user-friendly checklist tool that identifies the components of readiness across the six domains. Hospitals can use this tool to self-assess their paediatric readiness. Click on the link below to access the checklist:
The EDPR assessment is a province-wide, evidence-based survey designed to evaluate how prepared EDs are to care for children. Delivered through an online database, the assessment allows hospitals to answer standardized questions and receive a paediatric readiness score and gap analysis report, with benchmarking against other hospitals, to identify and address areas for improvement. The assessment database is currently closed.
PCMCH is planning to update and relaunch the assessment database in 2027 to continue monitoring progress and identifying opportunities to strengthen paediatric emergency care across Ontario.
2024 EDPR Findings Report
In April 2022, PCMCH launched the first province-wide EDPR assessment to establish a baseline of EDs’ readiness to care for children. PCMCH analyzed the survey submissions, with input from the Emergency Department Paediatric Readiness Advisory Group, to identify opportunities for improvement. The EDPR Findings Report summarizes the results of the 2022 assessment and highlights strengths and opportunities to enhance the quality and safety of emergency care for children and youth. Click on the link below to access the report:
Emergency Department Paediatric Readiness Initiative – Opportunities to Enhance Paediatric Care in Emergency Departments Across Ontario (October 2024)
A collection of evidence-based tools and guidelines to help ED clinicians and administrators improve paediatric emergency care is available at the EDPR Resource Centre. Click the link below to access the Resource Centre:
