Streamlining diuresis: A quality improvement approach to implementing a sodium-based predictive diuresis protocol.

Abstract

Diuresis for hospitalized patients with acute decompensated heart failure is a routine clinical practice but one that remains reliant on error-prone and resource-intensive intake and output and weight measurements and is subject to wide provider variation. We sought to use quality improvement approaches to implement a data-driven predictive diuresis protocol based on natriuresis using the electronic health record to titrate dosing. Our initiative did not result in significant reductions in length of stay but did demonstrate a significant increase in the use of urine studies to guide diuresis and signals toward more aggressive diuretic dosing without an increase in adverse outcomes.