Center of Excellence Designation FAQs

What is the Society for Pediatric Sedation Center of Excellence Designation (SPS CoE)?
The SPS CoE is a designation meant to recognize Pediatric Sedation Services for their work in safe, high quality pediatric procedural sedation care who participate in ongoing quality improvement.  It is a rigorous application process; less than 50% of new applications in recent years have received the designation.

Who is eligible to apply for the SPS CoE designation?
The SPS Center of Excellence designation is intended for organized, integrated pediatric sedation programs that provide pediatric procedural sedation outside the OR.  It is not intended for programs that provide sedation as a portion of other patient care, such as pediatric intensive care units, dental practices or emergency departments.

How will we know if our sedation service is ready to apply?
A successful applicant is a sedation service/team that has ongoing attention to monitoring of their program with a focus on continuous improvement of patient safety and experience.  The Society for Pediatric Sedation has posted a consensus statement on its website describing an ideal sedation service and discusses many of the aspects that the application also covers.

Pediatric Sedation Service Center of Excellence Consensus Statement – Society for Pediatric Sedation (pedsedation.org) Not all of the items in the consensus statement will be in place at all Center of Excellence institutions, but if your center can identify with the majority of what is discussed in this document you may be ready to submit an application.

What is on the SPS CoE application?
The application is broken down into the six Institute of Medicine aims of safety, efficiency, timeliness, family and patient centeredness, effectiveness, and equitable. In addition there is a section asking for information on how your providers are credentialed.  These first seven sections are short answer questions that may ask for supporting documents such as hospital policies.  There are three narrative sections; one asking about the quality and safety structure at your institution, one asking you to describe your sedation service and one that asks for two quality stories.  These quality stories are to be examples of your ongoing quality improvement work and should be fewer than five years old. The Center of Excellence consensus statement document is again a great source of what you can expect to be asked on the application. Pediatric Sedation Service Center of Excellence Consensus Statement – Society for Pediatric Sedation (pedsedation.org)

IMPORTANT: Patient and Institutional Identifiers
If any patient identifiers are found at any point in the application process, the application will be returned and will not be considered for the Center of Excellence designation during this award cycle.  The application fee will not be refunded and will not be applied to any future year’s application.

How do we apply?
The application is web based and is accessed via the SPS website on the Center of Excellence section.  When the application period is open, roughly June through September, your institution will create a user name and password for access to the application.  Portions of the application will require uploading supporting documents. Start your application process here: SPS Center of Excellence in Pediatric Sedation – Society for Pediatric Sedation (pedsedation.org)

How much does it cost to apply?
Platinum member institutions may apply at no cost as a benefit of their membership. Other membership levels and those not members of the Society for Pediatric Sedation should refer to the fee schedule on the SPS website. SPS Center of Excellence in Pediatric Sedation – Society for Pediatric Sedation (pedsedation.org)

When do we apply?
The application window typically opens in June and closes in September.  Look for emails from the Society that will announce when the application window has opened or check the CoE section of our website.  No late applications will be accepted so note the deadline on the application for when it is due.

When will we know if we have been designated as a SPS Center of Excellence?
The review process typically ends in February or March and institutions will be notified soon afterwards.  Timing depends on reviewers’ schedules and if applications need to undergo any re-reviews.  Notifications will be made no later than mid-May.

How are applications scored?
Each application is scored by at least 3 reviewers that are blinded to the applicant’s institution.  No reviewer has a connection to the applicant institution they are assigned to review.  Each question on the application is scored based on a rubric. Processes are in place for re-review should scores not meet pre-defined criteria after the first round of scoring.

How is each section of the application weighed in scoring?
The weight of each section toward the total score may vary slightly each year as revisions are made. In general, the safety section is worth 33% of the application, the quality stories together are worth 18% and the family and patient centered section is worth 11%.  Every other section ranges in weight from 2 to 8%.

What is the applicant success rate?
The application process is intended to be rigorous. Since the inception of the Center of Excellence, other than those recertifying, just less than 50% of applicants have been successful.

Who do I contact if I have questions?
Donna Pendarvis at [email protected]