"This certification allows our pediatric emergency capabilities to be better defined for the public and strengthens our commitment to Pediatric Emergency Care. As consumers of pediatrics services, the public will have a better idea of the level of pediatric emergency specialty an emergency department offers, and allow the right patients to go to the right facility the first time benefiting all the children with emergency needs in our community." Michelle Ziemba RN MSN, Director of Trauma and Emergency Services, The University of Arizona Medical Center - University Campus

(April 9, 2012 - Phoenix, AZ) A program to improve outcomes for ill and injured children visiting emergency rooms is now available in Arizona, making it among only five states to implement such a specialized pediatric emergency care system, according to the Arizona Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AzAAP) and Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS).  

Created through a public-private partnership, Pediatric-Prepared Emergency Care (PPEC) is a voluntary certification program of pediatric standards for emergency departments. Certified hospitals meet specific criteria and are prepared to provide emergency care resources and capabilities for pediatric patients. If necessary, these hospitals can stabilize a child for transfer to a facility that offers more specialized pediatric care.

"This collaboration should give families peace of mind," says Tomi St. Mars, RN, chief, Office of Injury Prevention for ADHS, which since 2008 has spearheaded the effort to launch the pediatric emergency department certification system.

Nine facilities, seven in Phoenix and two in Tucson, are among the first to receive the certification based on site visits conducted between December 2011 and March 2012. The certification includes three levels -- Prepared, Prepared Plus Care and Prepared Advanced Care. The certifying body, AzAAP, unanimously approved all nine of the applications on Saturday, April 7, 2012. They include:

Prepared Advanced Care

• Arizona Children's Center at Maricopa Medical Center
• Banner Thunderbird Medical Center
• Cardon Children's Medical Center
• Phoenix Children's Hospital
• Scottsdale Healthcare - Shea Medical Center
• Tucson Medical Center for Children
• University of Arizona Medical Center - Diamond Children's Medical Center

Prepared Plus Care

• Scottsdale Healthcare - Osborn Medical Center
• Scottsdale Healthcare - Thompson Peak Medical Center

Additional Arizona hospitals are expected to be certified in the future.

In 2010, ADHS partnered with AzAAP to establish the certification, conduct certification reviews and offer continuing pediatric emergency education. Only hospitals that are members of the chapter's partnership can apply for certification, and their membership fees will eventually sustain the program.

In addition, the new partnership has identified two key areas for improvement, the need for more pediatric resources devoted to mental health and disaster preparedness, according to Dr. Arturo Gonzalez, AzAAP board chairman and a Scottsdale-based pediatrician. The public-private partnership includes hospitals, physicians, nurses, emergency personnel, AzAAP and ADHS.