The impact of provider training on patient education for pediatric early food introduction

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
• Clinical Informatics
• Public Health Nutrition

Background:

• Pediatric food allergies (FAs) pose significant health and economic burdens, with no current cures.
• Emerging evidence suggests early introduction (EI) of common allergenic foods (CAFs) between 4-6 months may reduce FA risk, challenging traditional food avoidance recommendations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of an electronic medical record (EMR) order set and provider training in promoting EI guidelines for FA prevention.
• To assess the implementation of EI recommendations in a federally qualified health center with low initial nutrition education rates.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective chart review was conducted to assess the utilization of an EMR order set designed for patient education on EI to CAFs.
• Healthcare providers received training on EI guidelines and the use of the EMR order set.

Main Results:

• Provider training significantly enhanced knowledge of FA and EI guidelines.
• Following implementation, the EI order set was used in 25.95% of eligible encounters, with 52% of patients receiving it during the study period.
• Within the target age group (4-12 months), 74.55% of patients received the EI order set.

Conclusions:

• Integrating evidence-based clinical content into EMR order sets, alongside provider training, effectively supports clinical decision-making.
• This approach aids in identifying, monitoring, and optimizing quality care standards for pediatric food allergy prevention.