Standardization of Care of Common Pediatric Fractures

Distal radius fractures are the most common site of fracture in the pediatric population. Supracondylar humerus fractures are the most common pediatric elbow fracture. Although there is an abundant literature discussing treatment and outcomes of these fractures, there is only an emerging literature specifically discussing the variation in care among surgeons. There is need for standardization of these types of injuries to optimize the quality, safety, and value for patients. Quality improvement methodology differs from traditional research and is meant to be shared and used to implement changes quickly. This article discusses basic quality improvement methodology.