Cooling in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy: practices and opinions on minimum standards in the state of California.

OBJECTIVE: Although hospitals increasingly offer therapeutic hypothermia (TH), there is variable implementation of related services. We assessed current practices and opinions regarding what services should be required of centers providing TH in California.

STUDY DESIGN: We surveyed neonatal intensive care unit physicians statewide regarding practices and opinions about services related to TH.

RESULTS: Of the 50 participating centers (47% response rate), 66% offer TH. Most TH centers reported using: an evidence-based protocol (92%), neurology consultation (92%), amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) or EEG (88%), magnetic resonance imagings (MRIs) interpreted by pediatric neuroradiologists (71%) and developmental follow-up (93%). TH centers reported treating a median of 11 patients annually (interquartile range (IQR) 4 to 24). Respondents considered it 'critical' that TH centers offer: aEEG monitoring (70%), MRI (69%), occupational and physical therapy (67%) and developmental follow-up (94%). Over 70% thought TH centers should treat a minimum volume annually (median=10, IQR 5 to 12).

CONCLUSION: Physicians across practice settings in California endorsed minimum standards for TH centers to promote quality of care.