PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE
Sicker Patients, Better Outcomes
PICU outcomes are a big part of the success of
the entire institution, and we’re committed to
continuously improving that care through quality
improvement and research. We strive to push the
boundaries of what’s possible in our field to improve
the lives of children with critical illness.”
In many ways, intensive care sits at the heart of a hospital, a hub that serves and drives outcomes for
every specialty. Patients with acute disease and trauma, patients coming out of surgeries and solid
organ transplantations, complicated patients, unstable patients: the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
treats them all.
As a regional supercenter and the only Level 1 Pediatric Trauma center in a 350-mile radius, Children’s
Colorado cares for some of the most acute, high-risk pediatric conditions in seven states. And our PICU
team does it at higher volumes, with better outcomes and shorter stays than the national average —
by a wide margin.
The standardized mortality ratio, or SMR, measures predicted mortality given a patient’s
acuity against the actual outcome. Our PICU far outperforms the national average.
Standardized Mortality Ratio (PRISM III)
Our PICU treats roughly
30 percent more patients
annually, compared to
the averages of our peer
institutions.
National Average
Our patients
are sicker, but
they survive at
a higher rate
than expected.
Shorter stays
The standardized or severity-adjusted length-of-stay ratio — otherwise known as
SLOSR — predicts length of stay based on acuity. Here, too, we outperform the
national average.
The axis of
excellence
Plotted out with SMR
on the y-axis and
SLOSR on the x-axis,
our PICU plots in the
lower-left quadrant
as measured against
national averages.
We’re in the 95 th
percentile for both.
Standardized Mortality Ratio (PRISM III)
versus Standardized LOS Ratio (PRISM III)
plot across ICUs
95 TH PERCENTILE
80 TH PERCENTILE
50 TH PERCENTILE
Standardized LOS Ratio (PRISM III)
BETTER
National Average
National
Average
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Children’s
Colorado
30%
Medical Director, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Better survival
More patients
TODD CARPENTER, MD
Our patients
are sicker, but
they leave the
PICU sooner
than expected.
Children’s Colorado
For more details on Children’s
Colorado PICU data, visit
childrenscolorado.org/PICU.
National Average
LEADERSHIP:
Kurt Stenmark, MD
Chief, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine,
The La Cache Critical Care Endowed Chair
NEW CONSTELLATIONS
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