Academic Journal
Improving Race and Ethnicity Data Collection in an Academic Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
| Title: | Improving Race and Ethnicity Data Collection in an Academic Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. |
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| Authors: | Fraiman YS; Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.; Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts., Healy HI; Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.; Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts., Malala E; Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.; Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts., Miedema D; Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.; Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts., Day M; Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.; Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts., Birch S; Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.; Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts., Trickett J; Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.; Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts., Price JA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts., Tong SA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts., Dalton M; Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.; Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts., Pursley DM; Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.; Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. |
| Source: | Pediatrics [Pediatrics] 2026 Aug 01; Vol. 158 (2). |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: American Academy of Pediatrics Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 0376422 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1098-4275 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00314005 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Pediatrics Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: Elk Grove Village Il : American Academy of Pediatrics Original Publication: Springfield, Ill., Thomas. |
| MeSH Terms: | Intensive Care Units, Neonatal*/standards , Ethnicity*/statistics & numerical data , Racial Groups*/statistics & numerical data , Data Collection*/standards , Data Collection*/methods , Quality Improvement* , Academic Medical Centers*, Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Female ; Male |
| Abstract: | Objective: There are significant racial and ethnic inequities in neonatal care and outcomes. Accurate race and ethnicity demographic information is the cornerstone of equity-focused quality improvement. The collection of accurate race and ethnicity demographic information is complex for neonates that cannot self-report and do not yet have personal identity formation. In a large, academic, level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), we implemented a quality improvement initiative aimed at increasing the completeness and accuracy of race and ethnicity demographic information in patient records. Methods: We conducted a quality improvement initiative using data from January 2021 to June 2025 among patients admitted to a large, academic, level III NICU. The primary goal was to reduce the percentage of missing or unknown racial and ethnic demographic information. Our study included a preintervention data quality assessment period followed by 3 plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles focused on patient registration and cross-departmental collaborations with the birth registry and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Results: During the preintervention data quality assessment, we demonstrated a steady state with 30% of patients admitted to the NICU having missing or unknown race and ethnicity demographic information. We observed 3 shifts associated with PDSA cycles. During the last PDSA cycle, the missing or unknown demographic information was 10%. Conclusion: We decreased the proportion of missing or unknown demographic data in a large, academic, level III NICU through a multidisciplinary hospital-wide collaboration. This initiative serves as the first step to implement equity-focused quality improvement. (Copyright © 2026 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.) |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260715 Date Completed: 20260731 Latest Revision: 20260731 |
| Update Code: | 20260801 |
| DOI: | 10.1542/peds.2026-075965 |
| PMID: | 42457195 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1098-4275 |
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| DOI: | 10.1542/peds.2026-075965 |