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Promoting routine use of developmental and autism-specific screening tools by pediatric primary care clinicians
Insights
Routine developmental screening in primary care increased significantly after outreach efforts. Over 55% of clinicians now use validated tools, improving child development monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Psychology
- Healthcare Quality Improvement
Background:
- The American Academy of Pediatrics recommended routine developmental screening for all children in 2006.
- Prior to 2006, primary care clinicians primarily used informal methods for developmental monitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of outreach initiatives promoting validated developmental screening tools among Wisconsin primary care clinicians.
- To evaluate changes in the routine use of developmental and autism-specific screening tools in well-child care.
Main Methods:
- Outreach program implemented in 2006 targeting Wisconsin primary care clinicians to encourage the use of validated developmental screening tools.
- A survey of 157 Wisconsin primary care clinicians was conducted in late 2012 to determine the current use of these tools.
Main Results:
- The routine use of validated developmental and autism-specific screening tools in well-child care increased from 25% in 2007 to over 55% in 2012.
- This represents a significant improvement in the adoption of evidence-based screening practices.
Conclusions:
- Targeted outreach to clinicians and their teams, supported by professional organization policies, effectively enhances the quality of well-child care.
- The findings suggest that such interventions are crucial for promoting the consistent use of validated developmental screening tools.
Introduction:
In 2006, the American Academy of Pediatrics published a policy statement recommending routine developmental screening for all children. Most clinicians at that time were using informal methods to monitor child development.
Methods:
Outreach to Wisconsin primary care clinicians designed to promote use of validated developmental screening tools began in 2006. A survey of 157 Wisconsin primary care clinicians was conducted in late 2012 to assess routine use of developmental and autism-specific tools.
Results:
As compared with a similar survey conducted in 2007, where only 25% of clinicians reported use of a validated developmental screening tool, over 55% of clinicians in this survey reported routine use of validated developmental and autism-specific screening tools within well-child care.
Conclusion:
Outreach to clinicians and their care teams, in conjunction with policy statements from national professional organizations and supporting evidence, can contribute to quality improvement in well-child care delivery.
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