If all emergency departments in the United States were fully prepared to treat children, about 25% of deaths occurring each year among pediatric patients receiving emergency care could be avoided, according to a new study. study led by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.

Nationally, an estimated 83% of emergency departments are not fully prepared to meet the distinct needs of pediatric patients. Researchers set out to quantify how many lives could be saved each year if every hospital in the country achieved a high level of pediatric preparedness.

The study, published November 1 in Open JAMA Networkanalyzed data from more than 4,800 emergency departments that treated 669,000 children at risk of death after seeking care. Researchers used predictive models to estimate annual lives saved if emergency departments met standards set by the National Pediatric Readiness Project, which assigns scores based on each emergency department’s capabilities and readiness characteristics.

According to the findings, of the more than 7,600 children who die each year while receiving emergency care, 2,143 could be saved if all emergency departments achieved a high level of pediatric emergency department preparedness. Achieving this would cost the United States approximately $207 million per year. For each state, researchers estimate it would cost between $0 and $12 per child.

In Virginia, for example, it would cost $2.42 per child per year to save about 29 lives.

“The National Pediatric Readiness Project describes essential pediatric capabilities for emergencies, such as the availability of essential pediatric equipment and pediatric-specific training,” Nathan Kupperman, MD, study author and chair of pediatrics at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC. , said in a press release. “While a perfect score of 100 is ideal, previous research shows that a score of 88 or higher can reduce the risk of mortality by up to 76% for sick children and 60% for injured children.”

Making high pediatric preparedness universal would require a combination of regulation, incentives and policy initiatives, the researchers said. For example, accrediting bodies could incorporate pediatric preparedness into their standards, and insurers could adjust reimbursement models to incentivize hospitals to improve their preparedness.

Read the full study here.