The research is clear: developmental screening is critical in the first years of a child’s life.1
Despite research findings, screening rates remain as low as 17% in some states,2 and many pediatricians don’t screen using American Academy of Pediatrics recommended tools such as the PEDS-DM or the ASQ.3 According to a survey of California pediatricians, 95% agreed that developmental screening is important, but only 37% said they were performing screenings using validated tools.4
What challenges are pediatricians facing? Pediatricians cite time as a significant barrier to performing screenings.4 Physicians who are screening usually only have time to do so informally at well-child visits, but they are unable to access reimbursement for informal screenings. Furthermore, valuable time that could be spent educating parents on developmental milestones, discussing parent concerns, or referring a child-in-need is wasted on screening and scoring, which can take 5 or more minutes of a short 15-minute visit.
As a family-run practice providing pediatric care to children in Los Angeles County, Kidz Kare Doc decided to try BabyNoggin to see how a digital tool could improve workflow efficiency, increase parent engagement, and help them access reimbursement for the high-quality care they were already providing.
Read about BabyNoggin’s impact in our case study with Kidz Kare Doc.
1.Burak, E.W. and Odeh, M. (2018) Developmental Screenings for Young Children in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Retrieved from https://ccf.georgetown.edu/2018/03/06/developmental-screenings-for-young-children-in-medicaid-and-the-childrens-health-insurance-program/#easy-footnote-1
2.Hirai, A.H., Koganm M.D., Kandasamy, Veni., Reuland, C., Bethell, C. (2018) Prevalence and variation of developmental screening and surveillance in early childhood. Jama Pediatrics, 172(9), 857-866. Retrieved from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2686728?resultClick=1
3.American Academy of Pediatrics. Screening Tools. Retrieved from https://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/Screening/Pages/Screening-Tools.aspx
4.Silicon Valley Foundation. (2017). From the Doctor’s Office: California Pediatrician Survey on Early Childhood Developmental Screening. Retrieved from: https://www.siliconvalleycf.org/sites/default/files/publications/2017-CAPediatricianSurvey-DevelopmentalScreening.pdf