Ascension, one of the nation’s leading non-profit health systems, is proud to announce that it has been awarded $2.5 million in funding support from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). With this funding through the Health Systems Implementation Initiative (HSII), Ascension will enhance antimicrobial prescribing practices for pediatric patients with acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) across outpatient clinics, urgent care centers and emergency departments. This project will be led by Mohamad Fakih, MD, MPH, Chief Quality Officer of Ascension, and Allison Bollinger, MD, Vice President of Acute Clinical Care, Emergency Medicine, and Urgent Care.
“We are incredibly grateful to PCORI for their generous support and recognition of this initiative,” said Richard Fogel, MD, FACC, FHRS, Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer. “Their investment will help us advance antimicrobial stewardship for children, particularly in addressing the pressing need for responsible antibiotic use in diverse care settings.”
This work will focus on promoting appropriate antibiotic use for children aged 6 months to 17 years, improving clinical outcomes, and reducing the misuse of antibiotics. The initiative will span over more than 200 care sites across eight states, benefiting more than 200,000 pediatric encounters annually.
“Respiratory tract infections are a leading cause of pediatric visits, with most being viral,” Dr. Fakih said. “This initiative aims to ensure accurate diagnoses and appropriate treatments for our young patients. By promoting responsible antibiotic use, we can drive meaningful advancements in care and achieve better outcomes for children nationwide.”
This project aims to improve antibiotic prescribing and stewardship by implementing findings from a PCORI-funded patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) study demonstrating that narrow-spectrum antibiotics were as effective as broad-spectrum antibiotics in treating acute respiratory tract infections among children, with fewer side effects.
“This PCORI funding award will support Ascension to promote antibiotic stewardship for children with acute respiratory tract infections,” said PCORI Executive Director Nakela L. Cook, M.D., MPH. “This project exemplifies PCORI's commitment to advancing the uptake of evidence into health care delivery settings to enable parents, caregivers and clinicians to make informed health care decisions and improve care delivery and health outcomes. We look forward to following the project’s progress and collaborating with Ascension to share its results.”
The project’s strong intervention strategies, the expertise of the evaluation team, and Ascension’s robust healthcare infrastructure are key factors for success. The implementation plan includes proven methods like education, audit/feedback, and engagement of champions at multiple levels, all recognized for their potential to improve antibiotic prescribing for ARTIs. The project also is committed to engaging patients and addressing socioeconomic disparities, along with a thoughtful approach to mitigating barriers and conducting ongoing evaluations.
Ascension is set to develop a sustainable and replicable model for enhancing pediatric care across its diverse healthcare system by focusing on innovative solutions and ongoing assessment.
This funding award has been approved pending completion of PCORI’s business and programmatic review and issuance of a formal award contract.
PCORI is an independent, nonprofit organization authorized by Congress with a mission to fund patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research that provides patients, their caregivers and clinicians with the evidence-based information they need to make better-informed health and health care decisions.
