Written by Kimiko Dunbar
Spoon Feed
Implementing screening questions on admission increased food insecurity screening rates from 0% to 77%, with resources provided for families with food insecurity.
Plan, do, study, act…
Food insecurity occurred in 12.5% of US households with kids in 2021. This was a QI study that evaluated whether integrating food insecurity (FI) screening into pediatric inpatient care workflow improves identification and resource provision. They implemented FI screening for 8,850 admissions over two years by incorporating it into the RN admission process. Screening rates rose from 0% to 77%, with 11% of families screening positive for FI. Resources were provided to 100% of positive screens, highlighting the efficacy of integrating FI screening into the electronic health record’s required admission documentation and automated resource insertion into after-visit summaries. Notably, screening rates were not as high for patients with a primary language other than English. This study was conducted at a single-center academic institution, and was limited by lack of follow-up to determine who used the information provided in the resources.
How this will change my practice?
This study uses QI to underscore the importance of standardization of processes, especially for screening. On a personal practice level, I’m not sure this will change my day-to-day much, given that this is a pretty site specific study aimed at process improvement rather than a change in clinical practice. That being said, 11% positivity for insecurity is high and important not to miss if screening practices are not in place. In the absence of institutional screening practices, it’s worth conducting screening during the HPI, especially for patients seemingly at higher risk.
Source
Quality Improvement to Identify and Address Food Insecurity During Pediatric Hospitalizations. Hosp Pediatr. 2024 Dec 1;14(12):963-972. doi: 10.1542/hpeds.2024-007926. PMID: 39492624
