Access to Critical Health Information for Children During Emergencies: Emergency Information Forms and Beyond.

ABSTRACT: Children with chronic medical conditions rely on complex management plans for problems that cause them to be at increased risk for suboptimal outcomes in emergency situations. The emergency information form (EIF) is a medical summary that provides rapid access to critical information to physicians and other members of the health care team so that optimal emergency medical care can be provided. This statement describes an updated approach to EIFs and the information they contain. Essential common data elements are reviewed, integration with electronic health records is discussed, and broadening the rapid availability and use of health data for all children and youth is proposed. A broader approach to data accessibility and use could extend the benefits of rapid access to critical information for all children receiving emergency care as well as further facilitating emergency preparedness during disaster management.

Telehealth: Opportunities to Improve Access, Quality, and Cost in Pediatric Care.

The use of telehealth technology to connect with patients has expanded significantly over the past several years, particularly in response to the global coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. This technical report describes the present state of telehealth and its current and potential applications. Telehealth has the potential to transform the way care is delivered to pediatric patients, expanding access to pediatric care across geographic distances, leveraging the pediatric workforce for care delivery, and improving disparities in access to care. However, implementation will require significant efforts to address the digital divide to ensure that telehealth does not inadvertently exacerbate inequities in care. The medical home model will continue to evolve to use telehealth to provide high-quality care for children, particularly for children and youth with special health care needs, in accordance with current and evolving quality standards. Research and metric development are critical for the development of evidence-based best practices and policies in these new models of care. Finally, as pediatric care transitions from traditional fee-for-service payment to alternative payment methods, telehealth offers unique opportunities to establish value-based population health models that are financed in a sustainable manner.

Telehealth: Improving Access to and Quality of Pediatric Health Care.

All children and adolescents deserve access to quality health care regardless of their race/ethnicity, health conditions, financial resources, or geographic location. Despite improvements over the past decades, severe disparities in the availability and access to high-quality health care for children and adolescents continue to exist throughout the United States. Economic and racial factors, geographic maldistribution of primary care pediatricians, and limited availability of pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists all contribute to inequitable access to pediatric care. Robust, comprehensive telehealth coverage is critical to improving pediatric access and quality of care and services, particularly for under-resourced populations.

Pediatrician Attitudes Toward and Experiences With Telehealth Use: Results From a National Survey.

BACKGROUND: The American Academy of Pediatrics 2015 policy statement on telehealth proposed that telehealth could increase access to high-quality pediatric care and that pediatricians should work to reduce barriers to telehealth for their patients. However, little is known about pediatricians' experiences with and attitudes toward telehealth. METHODS: Data from a nationally representative survey of American Academy of Pediatrics postresidency US member pediatricians in 2016, restricted to respondents providing direct patient care (n = 744; response rate = 48.7%). Survey collected information on experience with telehealth in the previous 12 months, perceived barriers to telehealth incorporation, and conditions under which nonusers would consider using telehealth. In addition to descriptive statistics, we used multivariable logistic regression to examine characteristics associated with any telehealth experience in the past 12 months. RESULTS: Fifteen percent of pediatricians reported any telehealth use in the 12 months prior to the survey. The most commonly reported barriers to telehealth adoption were insufficient payment and billing issues. Multivariable regression models indicated that pediatricians in rural areas, the West, and subspecialists were most likely to report telehealth use, and identifying barriers was negatively associated with telehealth use. Among nonusers, over half indicated they would consider adopting telehealth if they were paid for the visits. CONCLUSION: Telehealth is considered an important health care delivery mechanism, but only 15% of pediatricians in 2016 reported having used telehealth. Reducing barriers will be instrumental in promoting future telehealth adoption. Many barriers have been reduced during the response to COVID-19, and the impact of these policy changes will need further study.