This study aimed to evaluate whether a modified pediatric early warning score (MPEWS)-triggered personalized care bundle – designed to facilitate early detection of clinical deterioration and guide timely individualized interventions – improves outcomes in critically ill children in an emergency observation unit. A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 120 critically ill children admitted to the emergency observation unit. Based on the care received, patients were allocated to either the MPEWS-based personalized care group (n = 60) or the routine care group (n = 60). Data were extracted from electronic medical records. Primary outcomes included stabilization of vital signs, length of stay, incidence of complications, and parent-reported satisfaction. Children in the MPEWS group achieved significantly faster stabilization of heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and consciousness level within 24 to 72 hours compared with those receiving routine care ( P < .05). The median length of stay was shorter in the MPEWS group (3.0 days interquartile range: 2.0–4.0 vs 4.0 days interquartile range: 3.0–5.0, P < .001). Complication rates were lower, including respiratory failure (6.7% vs 20.0%), cardiac arrest (0% vs 6.7%), and hospital-acquired infections (5.0% vs 16.7%; P < .05). Parent satisfaction was also higher in the MPEWS group (median 98 95–100 vs 90 85–94, P < .001). MPEWS-triggered personalized care was associated with more rapid physiological stabilization, reduced hospitalization time, fewer complications, and greater family satisfaction in critically ill children in emergency observation settings.
Liu et al. (2026) studied this question.