Improving the quality of Canadian pediatric injury care: identifying priorities based on evidence, practice variations and stakeholder needs and preferences

Approximately 35,000 children require hospitalisation following preventable injury each year in Canada and with a cost of over $4 billion. Recognising that injuries, treatments and patient/family needs in children are different from those in adults, most Canadian health authorities have developed regionalized trauma systems specific to pediatric injury care. Canadian regional trauma systems have established quality improvement programs and routinely collect detailed clinical data. However, they lack guidance on which aspects of quality improvement are most likely to provide benefit. We aim to identify priorities for the improvement of Canadian pediatric injury care and assess how providers can best implement these improvements. This research will lead to an increase in equitable access to appropriate pediatric injury care, greater adherence to evidence-based clinical practices and better patient outcomes. This will contribute to alleviating the burden of childhood injuries for patients, families, caregivers and society. Partnerships with national child health and injury organisations, provincial/regional trauma programs and trauma care quality and accreditation stakeholders will facilitate the production of results that will lead to improvements in pediatric injury care across Canada.