Engaging pediatricians in developmental screening: the effectiveness of academic detailing.
One short in-person coaching visit pushed pediatricians to screen more toddlers for autism and delays.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Honigfeld et al. (2012) visited pediatric offices for a one-hour training session.
The trainers showed doctors how to use quick developmental checklists for autism and delays.
They later counted how many kids got screened compared with offices that had no visit.
What they found
Offices that got the short visit screened more toddlers after the talk.
Those same offices also screened more kids than they did before the visit.
How this fits with other research
Barton et al. (2019) built a five-item toddler screener that catches autism early. Honigfeld et al. (2012) show how to push that tool into busy clinics.
Rivilis et al. (2012) tracked kids with motor delays for years and saw fitness drop. Honigfeld et al. (2012) step in earlier by giving doctors a way to spot delays at check-ups.
Stephens et al. (2018) found almost no studies on culturally smart transition plans for teens. Honigfeld et al. (2012) fill the front end of the pipeline by boosting screening in regular pediatric care.
Why it matters
You can copy the one-hour detailing script. Ask your local pediatric clinic for 60 minutes. Bring a short screening list and a billing cheat sheet. One visit can lift screening rates, so kids enter services sooner and you spend less time chasing referrals.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Use of formal developmental screening tools in the pediatric medical home improves early identification of children with developmental delays and disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorders. A pilot study evaluated the impact of an academic detailing module in which trainers visited 43 pediatric primary care practices to provide education about implementing developmental screening tools in well-child services. Attendees responded to a post presentation survey stating that they planned to implement screening in their practices. Medicaid billing data showed an increase in the state's overall rate of screening. An audit of medical charts in five practices that received the training and five that did not showed higher screening rates in practices that received the training as well as higher rates after the training than before. These pilot study results indicate the potential of academic detailing as an effective strategy for improving rates of developmental screening.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2012 · doi:10.1007/s10803-011-1344-4