JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Pediatric Acute Pain Services (APSs) are specialized teams that manage complex acute pain in children during hospitalization. Despite their widespread establishment in children’s hospitals worldwide, significant gaps in pain management practices and disparities in care persist, particularly among marginalized populations. The Canadian Pediatric Pain Management National Health Standard (CPPM-NHS) provides a framework for promoting safe, effective, and equitable acute pain care. By embedding the CPPM-NHS within a Learning Health System (LHS) framework, pediatric APSs can leverage real time data and continuous feedback to promote clear, equity-oriented metrics that enhance care delivery. However, there is a significant lack of literature that explicitly describes the operationalization of LHSs specifically within the APS context.

Objective:

This scoping review aims to map the extent, range, and nature of the evidence describing the operationalization and capacity of LHSs within pediatric APSs. Specifically, this review will identify reported practices, frameworks, and capacity-building components that align with the delivery of effective, safe, and equitable acute pain care.

Methods:

Following JBI methodology and the PRISMA-ScR checklist, we will search eight electronic databases and grey literature. Data extraction will involve a structured charting process to map identified LHS components (categorized by LHS Learning Cycles and LHS Enabling Environments Framework) against quality pain domains and equity indicators (categorized by the CPPM-NHS and PROGRESS Plus framework). Through cross-tabulation and content analysis, we will descriptively illustrate how specific LHS components are utilized to promote quality pain care. Findings will be presented through narrative summaries and a tree map to visualize the alignment between LHS activity and quality pain care indicators.

Results:

A preliminary search has identified 674 articles, and we will finalize our search strategy in collaboration with two health sciences librarians through the Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies (PRESS) review approach. The results will be presented as a narrative summary and visual tree map to highlight the distribution of LHS practices across the pediatric APS landscape.

Conclusions:

This scoping review will provide a comprehensive landscape analysis of LHS operationalization and capacity in pediatric APSs. By identifying existing gaps and strengths, the findings will inform future efforts to enhance acute pain management for children, ultimately leading to more effective, safe, and equitable delivery of acute pain care.