A Multimodal Quality Improvement Initiative to Reduce Non-ICU Telemetry Overutilization
- 1Department of Internal Medicine, WellSpan York Hospital, York, Pennsylvania, USA
- 2Department of Internal Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- 3Department of Internal Medicine, Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine
Abstract
Background: Continuous cardiac telemetry is frequently overutilized in hospitalized non–intensive care unit patients beyond guideline-supported indications.
Project Rationale: Excessive telemetry use contributes to alarm fatigue, resource strain, increased health care costs, and unnecessary patient monitoring.
Project Summary: A quasi-experimental before-and-after study was conducted at a community hospital. A multidisciplinary team implemented a multimodal intervention that included 1) changing telemetry order expiration to noon on hospital day 2, 2) conducting targeted resident education regarding American Heart Association telemetry indications, 3) implementation of a visible telemetry indicator within the electronic medical record, and 4) distribution of pocket reference cards outlining telemetry indications and discontinuation criteria. Sixteen weeks of preintervention data were compared with 16 weeks of postintervention data. The primary outcome was the reduction in telemetry orders per resident, analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
Take-Home Messages: A simple workflow modification supported by focused resident education significantly reduced non–intensive care unit telemetry ordering. This intervention was low cost, sustainable, and easily reproducible.
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BibTeX
@article{janabi2026multimodal,
title = {{A Multimodal Quality Improvement Initiative to Reduce Non-ICU Telemetry Overutilization}},
author = {Taysir Al Janabi and Jack Anderson and Moataz Ali and Karampal Mand and Deepika Jain},
journal = {JACC Case Reports},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1016/j.jaccas.2026.109232},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaccas.2026.109232},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A Multimodal Quality Improvement Initiative to Reduce Non-ICU Telemetry Overutilization
AU - Taysir Al Janabi
AU - Jack Anderson
AU - Moataz Ali
AU - Karampal Mand
AU - Deepika Jain
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/16
JO - JACC Case Reports
DO - 10.1016/j.jaccas.2026.109232
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaccas.2026.109232
AB - Background: Continuous cardiac telemetry is frequently overutilized in hospitalized non–intensive care unit patients beyond guideline-supported indications. Project Rationale: Excessive telemetry use contributes to alarm fatigue, resource strain, increased health care costs, and unnecessary patient monitoring. Project Summary: A quasi-experimental before-and-after study was conducted at a community hospital. A multidisciplinary team implemented a multimodal intervention that included 1) changing telemetry order expiration to noon on hospital day 2, 2) conducting targeted resident education regarding American Heart Association telemetry indications, 3) implementation of a visible telemetry indicator within the electronic medical record, and 4) distribution of pocket reference cards outlining telemetry indications and discontinuation criteria. Sixteen weeks of preintervention data were compared with 16 weeks of postintervention data. The primary outcome was the reduction in telemetry orders per resident, analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Take-Home Messages: A simple workflow modification supported by focused resident education significantly reduced non–intensive care unit telemetry ordering. This intervention was low cost, sustainable, and easily reproducible.
SN - 2666-0849
ER -