Exploring New Therapies Through Research

Research is fundamental to pursuing our goal of improving care at Cincinnati Children's. Scientists in the Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology Program participate in clinical research to look at how effective certain procedures are and develop new treatment approaches.

Can We Reduce the Number of Stickers Used During EKGs?

One project currently underway aims to answer this question. 

Typically when a child gets an electrocardiogram (EKG), we have to place 10 or more stickers (also called skin patches or leads) on various parts of the child’s body. This can be challenging, especially with younger kids who tend to squirm a lot or may try to remove the stickers before the EKG has been done.

We are working with a company to explore and test the possibility of using a one-patch solution to this problem. We have collaborated with them to develop several size patches for different child age groups. We hope to find that these single EKG patches provide the same results as the traditional EKG that uses multiple patches. This new method could lead to lower anxiety for families and less prep time, making the procedure quicker and easier for both patients and providers.

All of our research studies like this one come directly from our experience working with patients and families. Our goal is to take what we learn at the bedside and see how we can develop new or different ways to make the healthcare experience better for everyone involved.