QUAD A has several standards that address patient selection. However, the onus is on the facility to create policies and procedures that include the types of procedures that may be performed in the facility based on the patient population served, including adult and pediatric patients. The definition of a pediatric patient is directed by the facility and should be defined in the policies and procedures based on Federal, State, and Local laws, along with industry standards and guidelines. When developing a policy, consider height, weight, and body mass index (BMI), not age alone.
Further, it is the responsibility of the facility to ensure the types of procedures provided are within the scope of delineated privileges of the providers, appropriate for the setting where they are performed, and within the capabilities of the facility staff to ensure the safety of the patient (PALS certification, pediatric equipment, etc.). It is important to ensure staff competency is assessed to care for age-specific populations. The facility must also be equipped with age-appropriate equipment, pediatric medication dosing, Braslow tape, and pediatric patient supplies.
Additionally, you may want to verify any age limitations with the facilities and providers’ risk-liability carrier.
Below are some resources that may be of assistance to you:
- American Society of Anesthesiologists Statement (ASA) on Practice Recommendations for Pediatric Anesthesia
- https://www.asahq.org/standards-and-practice-parameters/statement-on-practice-recommendations-for-pediatric-anesthesia
- https://pedsanesthesia.org/about/provision-of-pediatric-anesthesia-care/
Since 1980, QUAD A (a non-profit, physician-founded and led global accreditation organization) has worked with thousands of healthcare facilities to standardize and improve the quality of healthcare they provide – believing that patient safety should always come first.
