Developmental Surveillance and Screening in the Electronic Health Record

Effective well-child care includes developmental surveillance and screening to identify developmental delays and subsequent interventions. Electronic health records (EHRs) have been widely adopted to improve efficiency and appropriate clinical practice. Developmental surveillance tools have been introduced. This article summarizes a conceptual framework for application and highlights the principles and tools of EHRs applied to developmental assessment, including interoperability, health information exchange, clinical decision support systems, consumer health informatics, dashboards, and patient portals. Further investigation and dedicated resources will be required for successful application to developmental surveillance and screening.