CareTrack Kids
An internationally significant study into the standard of healthcare for children in Australia
Project members - Macquarie University
Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite - Professor and Director
Contact
Program Director: Associate Professor Peter Hibbert
Email: peter.hibbert@mq.edu.au
Phone: 0414 253 461
Project main description
CareTrack Kids is a landmark national study investigating the standard of healthcare provided to children in Australia. By examining 17 common childhood conditions, the study measured adherence by GPs and paediatricians to clinical practice guideline recommendations and identified barriers that prevent appropriate delivery. The study also measured the frequency and nature of adverse events involving children in our healthcare system, offering a unique opportunity to address safety deficiencies. This research will underpin the future efficient, safe and effective delivery of healthcare to children in Australia.
Update 21 March 2018: Results from the CareTrack Kids study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association show children in Australia receive care in line with clinical practice guideline recommendations on average 60 percent (59.8 per cent) of the time for 17 common medical conditions. Read details of the report here.
Journal of the American Medical Association - Link to abstract: Quality of Health Care for Children in Australia 2012-2013
Sydney Morning Herald - Read opinion piece by Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite: Spoonfuls of advice help the medicine go down, 28 March 2018
The Health Report, ABC Radio - Download interview with Professors Jeffrey Braithwaite and Cliff Hughes: Are Australia’s kids receiving best-quality care? 16 April 2018
Research Australia INSPIRE magazine issue 16 2020: Tracking the quality of care for children
Aims
- To obtain national agreement on sets of indicators for management of 17 common paediatric conditions.
- To measure the appropriateness of healthcare delivered to children in Australia in acute healthcare settings.
- To measure the frequency and type of adverse events in children in Australia.
Publications
Condition | Treatment in line with clinical guidelines | Publication |
Acute abdominal pain | 69.9% | Zurynski Y, Churruca K, Arnolda G, Dalton S, Ting HP, Hibbert PD, Molloy C, Wiles LK, de Wet C, Braithwaite J. Quality of care for acute abdominal pain in children. BMJ Quality and Safety. 2019; Published Online First: 27 November 2019. |
Acute gastroenteritis | 59.6% | Sunderland N, Westbrook JI, Urwin R, Knights Z, Taitz J, Williams H, Wiles L, Molloy C, Hibbert P, Ting HP, Churruca K, Arnolda G, Braithwaite J. Appropriate management of acute gastroenteritis in Australian children: a population-based study. PLOS One. 2019; 14(11):e0224681. |
Antibiotic use | 61.9% | Arnolda G, Hibbert P, Ting HP, Molloy C, Wiles L, Warwick M, Snelling T, Homaira N, Jaffe A, Braithwaite J. Assessing the appropriateness of paediatric antibiotic overuse in Australian children: a population-based sample survey. BMC Pediatrics. 2020 Apr 24;20(1):1-8. 185. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-020-02052-6 |
Anxiety | 80.8% | Ellis LA, Wiles LK, Selig R, Churruca K, Lingam R, Long JC, Molloy C, Arnolda, G, Ting HP, Hibbert P, Dowton SB, Braithwaite J. Assessing the quality of care for paediatric depression and anxiety in Australia: a population-based sample survey. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 2019 Oct 1;53(10):1013-1025. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004867419866512 |
Asthma | 58.1% | Homaira H, Wiles LK, Gardner C, Molloy C, Arnolda G, Ting HP, Hibbert P, Boyling C, Braithwaite J. Assessing appropriateness of paediatric asthma management: a population-based sample survey. Respirology. 2019; (Published Online First: 20 June 2019). |
Autism | 88.8% | Churruca K, Ellis LA, Long JC, Pomare C, Wiles L, Arnolda G, Ting H, Woolfenden S, Sarkozy V, de Wet C, Hibbert PD, Braithwaite J. The quality of care for Australian children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2019; 49(12):4919-28. |
Bronchiolitis | 59.3% | Homaira H, Wiles LK, Gardner C, Molloy CJ, Arnolda G, Ting HP, Hibbert PD, Braithwaite J, Jaffe A. Assessing the quality of health care in the management of bronchiolitis in Australian children: a population-based sample survey. BMJ Quality & Safety. 2019; 28:817-25. |
Croup | 69.8% | Prentice B, Moloney S, Hort J, Hibbert P, Molloy C, Wiles LK, Arnolda G, Ting HP, Braithwaite J, Jaffe A. Assessing the adherence to guidelines in the management of croup in Australian children: a population-based sample survey. International Journal for Quality in Health Care. 2019; Published First Online: 28 October 2019. |
Fever | 53.5% | Holt J, White L, Wheaton GR, Williams H, Jani S, Arnolda G, Ting HP, Hibbert P, Braithwaite J. Management of fever in Australian children: a population-based sample survey. BMC Pediatrics. 2020 Jan 13;20(1):1-11. 16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-020-1911-y |
Head injury | 78.3% | Long JC, Dalton S, Arnolda G, Ting HP, Molloy CJ, Hibbert PD, Wiles LK, Craig S, Warwick M, Churruca K, Ellis L, Braithwaite J. Guideline adherence in the management of head injury in Australian children: a population-based sample survey. PLoS ONE. 2020 Jan 1;15(2):1-15. e0228715. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0228715 |
Otitis media (middle ear infections) | 58% | Clay-Williams R, Stephens JH, Williams H, Hallahan A, Dalton C, Hibbert P, Ting P, Arnolda G, Wiles L, Braithwaite J. Assessing the appropriateness of the management of otitis media in Australia: a population-based sample survey. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. 2019; 56(2):215-23.
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Preventative care | 43.3% | Wiles L, de Wet C, Dalton C, Murphy E, Harris M, Hibbert P, Molloy C, Arnolda G, Ting HP, Braithwaite J. The quality of preventive care for pre-school aged children in Australian general practice. BMC Medicine. 2019; Published Online First: 6 December 2019. |
Tonsillitis | 43.5% | Hibbert P, Stephens JH, de Wet C, Williams H, Hallahan A, Wheaton GR, Dalton C, Ting HP, Arnolda G, Braithwaite J. Assessing the quality of the management of tonsillitis in Australian children: a population-based sample survey. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. 2019; 160(1):137-44. |
Upper respiratory tract infection | 53.2% | Long JC, Williams H, Jani S, Arnolda G, Ting HP, Molloy CJ, Hibbert P, Churruca K, Ellis LA, Braithwaite J. Assessing the appropriateness of the management of upper respiratory tract infection in Australian children: a population-based survey. BMJ Open. 2019; 9(5):e026915. |
| Diabetes | 79.9% | McGee RG, Cowell CT, Arnolda G, Ting HP, Hibbert P, Dowton SB, Braithwaite J. Assessing guideline adherence in the management of type 1 diabetes mellitus in Australian children: a population-based sample survey. BMJ Open Diabetes Research and Care. 2020 Jul 1;8(1):1-9. e001141. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjdrc-2019-001141 |
Braithwaite J, Hibbert P, Jaffe A, White L, Cowell C, Harris M, Runciman W, Hallahan AR, Wheaton G, Williams H, Murphy E, Molloy C, Wiles L, Ramanathan S, Arnolda G, Ting HP, Hooper TD, Szabo N, Wakefield JG, Hughes CF, Schmiede A, Dalton C, Dalton S, Holt J, Donaldson L, Kelley E, Lilford R, Lachman P, Muething S. The quality of health care for children in Australia. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2018; 319(11):1113-24.
Braithwaite J. Less than two in three treatments for common childhood ills meet guidelines. The Lighthouse. 2018 April 9.
Ramanathan SA, Hibbert P, Maher C, Day RO, Hindmarsh DM, Hooper TD, Hannaford A, Runciman WB. CareTrack: toward appropriate care for low back pain. Spine. 2017; 42(13):E802-E9.
Hibbert PD, Hallahan AR, Muething S, E, Lachman P, Hooper TD, Wiles LK, Jaffe A, White L, Wheaton GR, Runciman WB, Dalton S, Williams HM, Braithwaite J. CareTrack Kids–Part 3 Adverse events in children’s healthcare in Australia: Study protocol for a retrospective medical record review. BMJ Open. 2015; Published Online First: 8 April 2015(5:e007750).
Hooper TD, Hibbert PD, Mealing N, Wiles L, Jaffe A, White L, Cowell CT, Harris MF, Runciman WB, Goldstein S, Hallahan AR, Wakefield JG, Murphy E, Lau A, Wheaton GR, Williams HM, Hughes C, Braithwaite J. CareTrack Kids–Part 2 Assessing the appropriateness of the healthcare delivered to Australian children: A study protocol for a retrospective medical record review. BMJ Open. 2015; Published Online First: 8 April 2015(5:e00774).
Wiles LK, Hooper TD, Hibbert PD, White L, Mealing N, Jaffe A, Cowell CT, Harris MF, Runciman WB, Goldstein S, Hallahan AR, Wakefield JG, Murphy E, Lau A, Wheaton GR, Williams HM, Hughes C, Braithwaite J. CareTrack Kids–Part 1 Assessing the appropriateness of healthcare delivered to Australian children: A study protocol for clinical indicator development. BMJ Open. 2015; Published Online First: 8 April 2015(5:e007748).
Runciman WB, Hunt TD, Hannaford NA, Hibbert PD, Westbrook JI, Coiera E, Day RO, Hindmarsh DM, McGlynn EA, Braithwaite J. CareTrack: Assessing the appropriateness of healthcare delivery in Australia. Medical Journal of Australia. 2012; 197(2):100-5.
Runciman WB, Coiera E, Day RO, Hannaford NA, Hibbert PD, Hunt TD, Westbrook JI, Braithwaite J. Towards the delivery of appropriate healthcare in Australia. Medical Journal of Australia. 2012; 197(2):78-81.
Hunt T, Ramanathan SA, Hannaford NA, Hibbert PD, Braithwaite J, Coiera E, Day RO, Westbrook JI, Runciman WB. CareTrack Australia: Assessing the appropriateness of adult healthcare: Protocol for a retrospective medical record review. BMJ Open. 2012; 2(1):e000665.
Collaborative partners
Financial
The following jurisdictions and organisations are supporting the project as partners:
- NHMRC
- BUPA Health Foundation
- The Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, New South Wales
- New South Wales Kids and Families
- Children’s Health Queensland
- South Australia Department of Health
Non-financial
- Clinical Excellence Commission
Project team details
Chief investigators
- Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite, Founding Director, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Director, Centre for Healthcare Resilience and Implementation Science, Macquarie University
- Professor Les White, Chief Paediatrician, NSW and University of New South Wales
- Professor Chris Cowell, Director of Research, Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network
- Professor Adam Jaffé, John Beveridge Professor of Paediatrics, University of New South Wales
- Professor Mark Harris, Foundation Professor of General Practice, Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales
Associate investigators
- Associate Professor Stan Goldstein, Bupa Health Foundation
- Associate Professor Andrew Hallahan, Children’s Health Queensland
- Professor Cliff Hughes, Clinical Excellence Commission
- Associate Professor Elisabeth Murphy, NSW Kids and Families
- Dr Annie Lau, AIHI, Macquarie University
- Adjunct Professor John Wakefield, Children’s Health Queensland
- Professor Bill Runciman, Australian Patient Safety Foundation and University of South Australia
- Dr Gavin Wheaton, South Australia Statewide Child Health Clinical Network
- Dr Helena Williams, General Practitioner, Board Member of Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare
International advisory group
- Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, World Health Organisation, Imperial College, London, UK
- Dr Ed Kelley, World Health Organisation
- Professor Richard Lilford, University of Birmingham, UK
- Dr Peter Lachman, Great Ormond St Hospital for Children NHS Trust, UK
- Associate Professor Stephen Muething, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Ohio, US
Project staff
- Dr Shanthi Ramanathan, UniSA
- Associate Professor Peter Hibbert, AIHI, Macquarie University
- Ms Charli Molloy, AIHI, Macquarie University
Clinical champions
Clinical champion | Affiliations |
Dr Sarah Dalton | Clinical Excellence Commission, NSW The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, NSW |
Assoc Prof Andrew Hallahan | Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, QLD |
Dr Jonny Taitz | Clinical Excellence Commission, NSW |
Dr Sue Woolfenden | Sydney Children’s Hospital, NSW |
Dr Ruth Selig | Mosman, NSW. |
Prof Adam Jaffe | Discipline of Paediatrics, School of Women’s and Children’s Health, UNSW |
Dr Vanessa Sarkozy | School of Women’s and Children’s Health, UNSW |
Assoc Prof Susan Moloney | Gold Coast University Hospital, QLD |
Prof Chris Cowell | Sydney Children’s Health Network, NSW |
Dr Joanne Morris | School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney, NSW |
Dr Gavin Wheaton | Women’s and Children’s Hospital, SA |
Dr David Moore | Women's and Children's Hospital, SA |
Dr Philip Coote | Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, NSW |
Assoc Prof Elisabeth Murphy | NSW Kids and Families, NSW |
Dr Bronwyn Gould | Paddington, NSW |
Prof Mark Harris | Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, UNSW |
Dr Helen K Young | Royal North Shore Hospital, NSW |
Dr Carl De Wet | Logan Hyperdome Doctors, QLD |
Dr Helena Williams | Russell Clinic, SA |
Dr Paresh Dawda | Ochre Health, ACT |
Related projects
Project status
Current
Centres related to this project
Content owner: Australian Institute of Health Innovation Last updated: 11 Mar 2024 5:35pm