Pediatrics Commons^™

Standardizing Sepsis Care Across A Lifespan: A Multidisciplinary Approach To Reduce Variation, Vijayakrishnan Poondi Srinivasan, Jillian Gregory, Sarah Chang

MaineHealth Maine Medical Center

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition affecting patients of all ages and remains a leading cause of mortality, hospitalizations, and healthcare costs worldwide. In pediatrics, severe sepsis accounts for millions of deaths annually, with approximately 176,000 hospitalizations and an 8% mortality rate each year in the U.S. In adults, it contributes to 35% of in-hospital deaths and is the leading cause of readmissions. These data underscore the urgent need for timely recognition, standardized interventions, and consistent, evidence-based care across populations.

Physical Activity Programming To Improve Qol In Pediatric Ibd Patients, George Russell, Anya K. Cutler, Anna Furr, Julia Fritz, Kevin Sztam, Birgitta Polson, Rebecca Edwards, Noah Hoffman

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2025

Discussion: This work contributes to limited literature supporting the positive impact of PA in a target population and provides novel guidelines to implement an accessible PA program proven to be effective and well-liked by patients & families. Findings support incorporation of PA into the holistic care of pediatric patients with IBD.

Mental Health Conditions Among Patients With A Disorder Of The Gut-Brain Interaction, Ambia Ahmed, Nicole Smith, Anya Cutler, Mariaelena Terzis, Laura J. Faherty, Julia Fritz

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2025

Two thirds of pediatric patients with disorders of the gut-brain interaction have mental health comorbidity.

Laying The Groundwork: Implementing The 2021 Aap Well Appearing Febrile Infant Clinical Practice Guideline Across A Rural Health System, E Freeman, L Mallory, Lm Seften, T Palnitkar, A Cutler, J Gregory, M Jackson

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2025

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published their first-ever Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) on the management of well-appearing febrile infants aged 8-60 days in 2021. A system specific CPG and order set for the management of well-appearing febrile infants has been published across MaineHealth (MH) to align with the AAP.

Test-Retest Agreement And Reliability Of Psychosis And Mental Health Screens For Maine Adolescents And Young Adults In Primary Care, Erika Mayer, Eb Bernier, Merelise Ametti, Julia Plumb, Adriana Lovric, Yaerin Wallenberger, Kristen Woodberry

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2025

Psychotic spectrum disorders are among the most severe mental health conditions. Although early intervention can lead to significantly improved outcomes, minimizing delays in the identification of psychotic spectrum symptoms (PSS) remains challenging.

Implementation And Evaluation Of A Resident Pediatric Complex Care Education Series, Calivin Schaffer, Danielle Doctor, Amy Buczkowski, Bonnie Lynne Boomsma, Logan Murray

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2025

Children with medical complexity have significant chronic health problems that affect multiple organ systems and result in functional limitations, high health care need or utilization, and often dependence on medical technology. Addressing their needs requires optimizing care within the medical home and medical neighborhood.

A Quality Improvement Project To Reduce Variation In Pediatric Asthma Care Using The Hospital Asthma Severity Scoring (Hass) Tool, Sean Patterson, Leah-Marie Seften, Rachel Williams, Noah Diminick, Anne Coates, Laura Amar-Dolan

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2025

The aim of this project was to increase HASS score use to greater than 50%within one year and determine the impact of our interventions on the quality of asthma care and patient outcomes.

Pediatric Asthma Subspecialty Referral Practices In Rural Maine, Paras Patnaik, John Dipalazzo, James Bohnhoff

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2025

Over 7.2 million children in the United States have asthma.

• >300,000 asthma-related ED visits & hospitalizations yearly
• Both PCP’s and pediatric asthma subspecialists (allergist/immunologists and pediatric pulmonologists) provide long-term asthma care

Overcoming Specialty Care Connection Barriers: The Econsult Effect, Genevieve Whiting, Noah Hoffman, Anya K. Cutler, Leah M. Seften, Laura J. Faherty

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2025

Pediatric patients are 2.6x more likely to attend a new specialist visit after Specialist affirms referral need via eConsult.

Pilot Study Of Serial Telemedicine Assessments To Safely Exclude Neonates From Therapeutic Hypothermia Treatment, Alexa Craig, Anya K. Cutler

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2025

Two neonatal encephalopathy exams performed by telemedicine, with scores of less than 4, correctly excluded neonates from treatment with therapeutic hypothermia.

Physical Activity Programming To Improve Qol In Pediatric Ibd Patients, Anna Briley, George Russell, Anya K. Cutler, Anna Furr, Julia Fritz, Kevin Sztam, Birgitta Polson, Rebecca Edwards, Noah Hoffman

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2025

Discussion: This work contributes to limited literature supporting the positive impact of PA in a target population and provides novel guidelines to implement an accessible PA program proven to be effective and well-liked by patients & families. Findings support incorporation of PA into the holistic care of pediatric patients with IBD.

Approach To Pivie In Pediatrics: Standardization For Early Detection, Jamie Green, Jill Gregory, Elizabeth Murphy, Jessica Miller, Nicole Manchester, Frank Harris, Meaghan Wildes, Cecilia Inman, Jenn Paradis, Faye Weir

Operations Transformation

PIVIE (Peripheral Intravenous Infiltration & Extravasation) can have devastating effects, especially in the pediatric population. The condition may disrupt vasculature severe enough for permanent skin and tissue loss that can lead to impaired limb function due to severe scarring. Problem: No standardized process existed either to prevent or review these events at Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center prior to the study. PIVIEs were measured through the event reporting platform and only severe PIVIEs were being documented in this report. All infiltrations (1-4 on the infiltration scale) should be measured for accurate benchmarking. Occurrences in the electronic medical …

Reproducibility Of Maine Ongoing Outreach Simulation Education (Moose) Program In Level I Rural Delivery Hospitals, Allison Zanno, Jeffrey Holmes, Micheline Chipman, Anya K. Cutler, Leah M. Seften, Mary Ottolini, Alexa Craig, Leah Mallory, Misty Melendi

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2024

Introduction

• Simulation provides an opportunity to practice neonatal resuscitation program (NRP®) guidelines with high acuity, low occurrence events

• Rural hospitals with low birth volumes have infrequent opportunities to maintain skills needed to adequately perform neonatal resuscitation

• With limited clinical opportunities, it is essential to provide ongoing training and education that allow teams to practice these skills

• Training environment includes a facilitated debrief allowing for feedback on performance and areas of improvement

Improving Adherence To The American Academy Of Pediatrics (Aap) Clinical Practice Guideline (Cpg) For The Evaluation And Management Of Well Appearing Febrile Infants At Maine Medical Center: A Quality Improvement Initiative, Gabriela Deoliveira Md, Meredith Jackson Md, Laura J. Faherty Md, Mph, Mshp, Sarah M. Gabrielson Mph, Bsn, Anya K. Cutler Ms

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2024

Educational interventions aid in adherence to MaineHealth febrile infant guidelines with a positive shift seen in the evaluation of infants 29-60 days of age.

Statewide Needs Assessment Of Neonatal Readiness At Delivery Hospitals In Maine, Allison Zanno, Jay Kerecman, Ann Boomer, Leah M. Seften, Anya K. Cutler, Alexa Craig, Misty Melendi

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2024

Background

• Neonatal mortality is higher in hospitals with low birth rates

• More than two-thirds of hospitals deliver less than one neonate per day in Maine

• Identification of neonatal preparedness is lacking and will assist in prioritization of education and outreach initiatives to delivery hospitals

• Our objective was to engage stakeholders to understand current neonatal readiness at delivery hospitals across the state and identify barriers to and helpful resources for improving neonatal care delivery

Increasing Equitable Access To Pediatric Specialty Care In Maine Through Implementation Of Econsults, David Ireland, Rachel Rockers, Sarah M. Gabrielson, Anya K. Cutler, Laura J. Faherty, Genevieve Whiting

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2024

Introduction

•Barriers to accessing pediatric specialty care exist for many and are not experienced equally by all.

•eConsults are an asynchronous provider-provider referral modality to obtain low-barrier specialist input in place of some face-to-face (F2F) visits.

•We evaluated sociodemographic factors associated with referral to and receipt of specialist input before and after eConsult implementation at MaineHealth to examine equity implications.

Improving And Standardizing Pediatric Asthma Care Across Mainehealth Using The Validated Hospital Asthma Severity Scoring (Hass) Tool, Sean Patterson, Leah Marie Seften, Anya Cutler, Alexa Craig, Anne Coates, Noah Diminick

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2024

Objective: To assess if an inter-professional educational intervention can improve the accuracy and inter-rater reliability of the HASS.

An Assessment Of The Needs Of Maine Primary Care Providers Relating To Tobacco Prevention, Assessment, And Treatment Of Lgbtqia+ Youth And Young Adults, Logan Gerchman, Sarah M. Gabrielson, Toni Eimicke, Brandy Brown

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2024

Most primary care providers in Maine ask youth about tobacco use but don’t adjust strategies for LGBTQIA+ youth.

Most want LGBTQIA+ specific resources for smoking prevention and cessation.

The Impact Of Birth Volume On Neonatal Resuscitation Practices In Neonates Treated With Therapeutic Hypothermia, Allison Zanno, Matthew Ryzewski, Leah M. Seften, Anya K. Cutler, Whittney Barkhuff, Deirdre O Reilly, Jay Kerecman, Alexa Craig, Misty Melendi

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2024

Background

• Neonatal resuscitation is a high acuity, low-occurrence (HALO) event

• Clinicians in hospitals with low birth volumes lack regular opportunities to maintain Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP®) skills due to low birth volumes

• Data used for this analysis was provided through the Northeast Regional Hypothermia Consortium of neonates who received therapeutic hypothermia at four northern New England tertiary care centers

• We investigated differences in resuscitative practices in hospitals with varied birth volumes.

Comparing Universal Versus Targeted School Screenings For Depression Among Teens, Reach Dissemination Committee, Maine, Usa

REACH: Research Evidence-to-Action for Community Health

The US Preventive Services Task Force endorses universal adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD) screening in primary care; however, most adolescents lack preventive health care, resulting in worsening disparities in MDD screening and treatment.

Barriers To Care For Children With Cerebral Palsy In The Rural State Of Maine: A Mixed-Methods Study, Rayne L. Whitten, Anya K. Cutler, Alexa K. Craig

Journal of Maine Medical Center

Introduction: Guidelines on orthopedic hip surveillance in children with cerebral palsy have been published to minimize the effects of cerebral palsy and maximize quality of life. Researchers aimed to identify barriers to cerebral palsy care and to assess adherence to national hip-surveillance guidelines among a small subset of children with cerebral palsy who live in a rural state.

Methods: Parents of children with cerebral palsy were interviewed, and thematic analyses were performed on the recorded transcripts. Patient-specific data about imaging and demographics were manually extracted from the electronic health record to perform a mixed-methods analysis.

Results: Twenty-one parents were interviewed, …

Food Insecurity Screening In People With Cystic Fibrosis, Rebecca Edwards, Lauren Tate, Ana Cairns, Cheryl Coyne, Kathleen Walker, Kim Violette, Ann Ladner, Jessica D'Amico

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2023

Background: Adequate nutrition is a cornerstone in the management of cystic fibrosis (CF). Malabsorption secondary to pancreatic insufficiency and increased energy demands related to lung disease can increase energy requirements over twofold for a person with CF. Food insecurity (FI) affects approximately 10% of Mainers (1). Per the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, there may be up to a threefold increase in the prevalence of FI in the CF population (2). To address this issue, we implemented FI screening in the adult and pediatric CF programs to identify the prevalence of FI within our population and to offer immediate interventions.

An Educational Intervention To Improve Pediatric Inter-Rater Reliability Of The Hospital Asthma Severity Score (Hass), Anne Coates, Amanda Gagnon, Noah Diminick

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2023

Objective: To assess if an inter-professional educational intervention can improve the accuracy and inter-rater reliability of the HASS

Pathways To Care Of Maine Youth With Psychosis, Elizabeth M. Mutina, Rebecca Jaynes, Dave Weiss, Elizabeth Bernier, Kristen A. Woodberry

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2023

Study clinicians conducted semi-structured interviews to identify the timing and steps of each person’s Pathway to Care (PtC).

Access To Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes Care In Montana, James C. Bohnhoff, Michael Kohut Phd, Chelsea Bodnar, Elizabeth A. Jacobs

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2023

Introduction: Management of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) requires significant family effort and specialty support. We aimed to understand how living in a rural state impacts families’ experiences during and after diagnosis.

The Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences And Pediatric Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, Rachel Coffey, Jackson Bloch, Anya K. Cutler, Sarah M. Gabrielson, Stephen Digiovanni, Julia Fritz

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2023

Introduction:

• 1 in 4 kids in Maine have 3+ adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)

• ACEs negatively impact health outcomes

• Adult literature shows association between ACEs and irritable bowel syndrome, a functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID)

The Gender Clinic At The Barbara Bush Children’S Hospital: Demographics, Diagnoses, And Treatment Goals, Brandy Brown

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2023

Introduction: Program evaluation to better understand patients referred to The Gender Clinic.

Improving Adherence To The American Association Of Pediatrics Clinical Practice Guideline For The Evaluation And Management Of Well-Appearing Febrile Infants At Maine Medical Center: A Quality Improvement Project, Gabriela De Oliveira Md, Sarah M. Gabrielson Mph, Bsn, Rn, Jillian Gregory Do, Lori Travis Ms, Kendall Dapprich Mph, Meredith Jackson Md, Erica Swan Mba

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2023

Educational interventions sustain increased CRP collection rates for better adherence to the AAP guidelines for evaluating well-appearing febrile infants.

Being There: Engaging In Conversations About A Child’S Future When They Are Facing Serious Illness, Christine Bennett Md

Journal of Maine Medical Center

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Social Media On Safe Sleep, Robin Wolschdorf, Jennifer Hayman, Logan Murray

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2022

About 3,500 babies under one year of age die from sleep related complications annually in the United States1. Pediatricians and other health care professionals have a responsibility to counsel families on safe sleep practices to prevent these complications. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends discussing safe sleep before discharge from the hospital and every newborn visit in the outpatient setting2. This can be done with using the message of the “ABC’s” of safe sleep: Alone on their

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