Abstract
To examine effectiveness of an intervention promoting vitamin D supplementation in hospitalized breastfed infants. Our urban tertiary care hospital instituted a 2-part intervention: brief education for providers on vitamin D guidelines and insertion of an opt-in order for vitamin D supplements into electronic admission order sets. Data downloads on admissions of patients aged <1 year were obtained. we excluded those not breastfed, with a dietary restriction, or admitted to intensive care. intervention effects were compared from 6 months postintervention to the 6 same months 1 year earlier. we applied χ2 and logistic regression, including the patient as a random effect to adjust for repeated admissions. data on 471 exclusively or partially breastfed admissions (441 infants) were analyzed (221 preintervention, 250 postintervention). admission characteristics did not differ by period: 55.0% boys; 40.6% medicaid; 63.7% hospitalized ≤2 days; 72.0% on a general medical service; 16.6% received nutritionist consultation. in-hospital vitamin d prescribing rates significantly increased postintervention (19.5% vs 44.4%; p><.001). postintervention admissions were more than twice as likely to receive vitamin d supplementation (adjusted odds ratio 2.3, 95% confidence interval 1.6-3.2). other associated factors included vitamin d as a medication used before admission (adjusted odds ratio 14.3, 95% confidence interval 4.9-41.6), nutritionist consultation during admission, hospitalization≥3 days, and admission to a general medical service. prescribing of vitamin d at discharge increased significantly (9.0% vs 19.6%; p><.001). medical provider education and modification of electronic ordering templates significantly increased use of vitamin d supplementation in hospitalized breastfed infants.>
