Enhancing Self-Management of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Tubes Through the Implementation of a Standardized Education and Assessment Pathway

Intraduodenal infusion of levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel by percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube with jejunal extension is a treatment option to reduce motor and nonmotor complications in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease when oral therapy no longer provides sufficient benefit. Medication management is of central focus; however, there was no standardized patient education on stoma-site care and tube maintenance, leading to the development of stoma-site complications. As a quality improvement (QI) initiative, a standardized education and assessment pathway was developed and implemented in an urban academic outpatient clinic to enhance patient self-management and reduce stoma-site complications. A retrospective chart review was conducted to establish baseline incidence of cutaneous stoma-site complications. QI interventions were implemented using a rapid-cycle improvement model. Routine stoma assessments by a nurse who specializes in wound, ostomy, and continence care were implemented at set points, and patient education on PEG tube care and maintenance was reinforced at each session. Results demonstrated a significant reduction in moderate-to-severe tube and stoma-site-related complication. Implementation of a similar standardized education and assessment pathway in patients with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tubes may lead to a decrease in stoma-site-related complications and overall better patient self-management.