Wilkins, Sara Anne;
Shannon, Chevis N.;
Brown, Steven T.;
Vance, E. Haley;
Ferguson, Drew;
Gran, Kimberly;
Crowther, Marshall;
Wellons, John C.;
Johnston, James M.
Establishment of a multidisciplinary concussion program: impact of standardization on patient care and resource utilization
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Media type:
E-Article
Title:
Establishment of a multidisciplinary concussion program: impact of standardization on patient care and resource utilization
:
Clinical article
Contributor:
Wilkins, Sara Anne;
Shannon, Chevis N.;
Brown, Steven T.;
Vance, E. Haley;
Ferguson, Drew;
Gran, Kimberly;
Crowther, Marshall;
Wellons, John C.;
Johnston, James M.
Published:
Journal of Neurosurgery Publishing Group (JNSPG), 2014
Published in:
Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, 13 (2014) 1, Seite 82-89
Language:
Not determined
DOI:
10.3171/2013.10.peds13241
ISSN:
1933-0707;
1933-0715
Origination:
Footnote:
Description:
ObjectRecent legislation and media coverage have heightened awareness of concussion in youth sports. Previous work by the authors' group defined significant variation of care in management of children with concussion. To address this variation, a multidisciplinary concussion program was established based on a uniform management protocol, with emphasis on community outreach via traditional media sources and the Internet. This retrospective study evaluates the impact of standardization of concussion care and resource utilization before and after standardization in a large regional pediatric hospital center.MethodsThis retrospective study included all patients younger than 18 years of age evaluated for sports-related concussion between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2011. Emergency department, sports medicine, and neurosurgery records were reviewed. Data collected included demographics, injury details, clinical course, Sports Concussion Assessment Tool-2 (SCAT2) scores, imaging, discharge instructions, and referral for specialty care. The cohort was analyzed comparing patients evaluated before and after standardization of care.ResultsFive hundred eighty-nine patients were identified, including 270 before standardization (2007–2011) and 319 after standardization (2011–2012). Statistically significant differences (p < 0.0001) were observed between the 2 groups for multiple variables: there were more girls, more first-time concussions, fewer initial presentations to the emergency department, more consistent administration of the SCAT2, and more consistent supervision of return to play and return to think after adoption of the protocol.ConclusionsA combination of increased public awareness and legislation has led to a 5-fold increase in the number of youth athletes presenting for concussion evaluation at the authors' center. Establishment of a multidisciplinary clinic with a standardized protocol resulted in significantly decreased institutional resource utilization and more consistent concussion care for this growing patient population.