Readmission Reduction for Hyperbilirubinemia in Infants ≥ 35 Weeks Estimated Gestational Age Using a Standardized Protocol

Background: Most newborns experience hyperbilirubinemia. Monitoring and treatment must be balanced with the risk of unintended harm, including readmission to the birth hospital. From January 2019 to April 2021, the average rate of inborn readmission for all causes was 2.09% at the study hospital; hyperbilirubinemia accounted for 91% of these readmissions. The aim of this project was to decrease readmission rate for hyperbilirubinemia by 60% within eight months of protocol implementation.Methods: The Lean system of quality improvement was used to assess root causes and implement countermeasures. A hyperbilirubinemia protocol was developed, and phototherapy equipment was upgraded. Monthly readmission rates were the main outcome measure. Process measures included hour of life for initial transcutaneous bilirubin measurement. Balance measures included number of serum bilirubin labs obtained per 100 infants, percentage treated with phototherapy, mean length of phototherapy treatment, and length of hospital stay. Statistical process control charts were used to measure changes in quality over time.Results: Baseline data showed a monthly readmission rate for hyperbilirubinemia of 1.9%. Following countermeasure implementation, there was a clinically significant downward shift in the monthly readmission rate to 0.64%, representing a 66% decrease from baseline.Conclusion: Implementation of the project protocol was associated with a clinically significant decrease in readmissions for hyperbilirubinemia with no concurrent clinically significant changes in the number of labs drawn, number of infants started on phototherapy, or average length of hospital stay. For military treatment facilities or institutions with similar staffing models, this protocol may offer a model for improvement.