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Pediatric Quality Measures in Developmental Screening and Follow-Up

Genie Han1, Jennifer O Lambert2, Christina D Bethell2

  • 1Evidence-based Practice Center, Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland.

Pediatrics
|May 20, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Quality measures for pediatric developmental screening and follow-up show good reliability, validity, and usability. However, feasibility remains a concern, requiring further research into standardization and stratification to improve early identification of developmental problems.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

  • Timely identification and management of developmental problems are crucial for child development.
  • Existing quality measures for developmental screening and follow-up require comprehensive evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and summarize existing quality measures for developmental screening and follow-up in children within the United States.
  • To identify evidence regarding the reliability, validity, usability, and feasibility of these measures.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted a systematic search of multiple databases (PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PsychINFO) from 2009 to December 2024.
  • Included systematic reviews, primary studies, and expert-recommended gray literature.
  • Extracted data on measure definitions, study characteristics, implementation barriers, and research gaps by two independent reviewers.

Main Results:

  • Identified 67 screening and 61 follow-up measures, primarily for early childhood in clinical settings.
  • Found substantial evidence for reliability, validity, and usability across many measures, but mixed evidence for feasibility.
  • Observed limited reporting on measure use variations and minimal evidence on reducing health disparities; common barriers included EHR integration and resource limitations.

Conclusions:

  • While many pediatric developmental screening and follow-up measures demonstrate strong psychometric properties, their practical feasibility requires attention.
  • Future research should prioritize enhancing feasibility, standardizing measures, and stratifying data to address diverse populations.
  • Focusing on these areas can improve the effectiveness of early developmental problem identification and management.
Abstract

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