Autism and pediatric practice: toward a medical home.

Goodwin et al. (2012) wrote a narrative review. They argued that kids with autism rarely get Medical Home care.

Medical Home means one office coordinates all doctors, therapists, and family needs. The paper urged pediatricians to add this service.

The review found Medical Home use is low for children with ASD. Families bounce between separate providers without a clear quarterback.

The authors claimed better coordination would cut gaps, stress, and costs.

Ghanouni et al. (2026) extends the idea. Their interviews show youth who age out still need the same coordination. Information sharing and community links remain weak in adulthood.

McClain et al. (2020) also extends the call. They found school psychologists are ready-made care coordinators between clinic and classroom. The Medical Home concept simply moves into the school hallway.

Schott et al. (2021) shows the flip side. When pediatric Medical Home stops, two-thirds of autistic adults on waiver waitlists have unmet functional and mental-health needs. The gap L et al. warned about grows bigger after age 18.

You can treat the pediatrician’s office as the hub of a child’s team. Ask the doctor to add Medical Home billing codes, share a single care plan, and loop in school and ABA providers. One coordinated chart keeps scripts, referrals, and goals in the same place. Push for it now, because after high school the safety net frays fast.