Related Experiment Videos
Improving access to pediatric health care in Mississippi
R L Abney1, M Weaver, C Montgomery
1Mississippi State Health Department, Jackson.
Insights
Mississippi improved pediatric healthcare access through a telephone case management system and physician partnerships. This initiative addressed system barriers and can be replicated statewide.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health Services
- Public Health Initiatives
- Healthcare Access Improvement
Background:
- Mississippi faced challenges in pediatric healthcare access.
- The Mississippi Postneonatal Death Impact Project aimed to address these issues.
- Collaboration between the American Academy of Pediatrics and the State Department of Health was established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To improve access to pediatric healthcare in Mississippi.
- To develop and implement a statewide telephone information and referral service.
- To identify and suggest solutions for system barriers in healthcare delivery.
Main Methods:
- Established a statewide telephone case management system.
- Engaged primary care physicians to treat children without specific compensation.
- Launched a public awareness campaign to promote services.
Main Results:
- Successfully improved access to pediatric health care services.
- Identified systemic barriers hindering healthcare access.
- Demonstrated the effectiveness of interagency coordination.
Conclusions:
- The implemented strategies significantly enhanced pediatric healthcare access in Mississippi.
- Interagency coordination and cooperation are crucial for overcoming system barriers.
- The project model is replicable and scalable for broader application.
Abstract:
Working under the Mississippi Postneonatal Death Impact Project, the Mississippi Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, in conjunction with the State Department of Health, helped improve access to pediatric health care in Mississippi. This was accomplished by developing a statewide telephone information and referral service (telephone case management), enlisting primary care physicians to treat a limited number of children without specific compensation and staging a public awareness campaign. System barriers encountered were identified and interagency coordination and cooperation suggested. This effort could be easily replicated and expanded.