Quality improvement intervention increased 3D echocardiography use in eligible pediatric patients from 20.3% to 90.9% with minimal workflow impact.
Does a quality improvement intervention increase the performance of three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography in paediatric patients undergoing pre-procedural echocardiograms?
A targeted quality improvement intervention successfully increased the utilization of three-dimensional echocardiography in eligible pediatric patients from 20.3% to 90.9% without significantly impacting workflow.
We performed a quality improvement intervention to increase three-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography performance for high-yield paediatric patient populations undergoing pre-procedural echocardiograms. Following implementation, the percentage of eligible patients receiving three-dimensional imaging increased significantly from a baseline of 20.3% to a maximum of 90.9%, with minimal impact on workflow. For programmes interested in increasing three-dimensional imaging, we recommend (1) establishing a core group of champions, (2) targeting a clear and measurable goal, and (3) developing a robust system for identifying candidates for three-dimensional imaging.
O’Meara et al. (2026) studied this question. Quality improvement intervention increased 3D echocardiography use in eligible pediatric patients from 20.3% to 90.9% with minimal workflow impact.