Implementation of an Electronic Approach to Psychosocial Screening in a Network of Pediatric Practices.

OBJECTIVE: A network of 18 pediatric practice locations serving predominantly commercially insured patients implemented the electronic administration of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17 parent-report (PSC-17P) for all 5.50- to 17.99-year-old children seen for well child visits (WCVs) and wrote up the results as a quality improvement project. The current study investigated this screening over 2 years to assess its implementation and risk rates over time. METHODS: Parents completed the PSC-17P electronically before the visit and the scored data were immediately available in the patient's chart. Using billing and screening data, the study tracked rates of overall and positive screening during the first-year baseline (4 months) and full implementation phases of the project in the first (8 months) and second (12 months) year. RESULTS: A total of 35,237 patients completed a WCV in the first year. There was a significant improvement in PSC-17P screening rates from the first-year baseline (26.3%) to full implementation (89.3%; P < .001) phases. In the second year, a total of 40,969 patients completed a WCV and 77.9% (n = 31,901) were screened, including 18,024 patients with screens in both years. PSC-17P screening rates varied significantly across the 18 locations and rates of PSC-17P risk differed significantly by practice, insurance type, sex, and age. CONCLUSIONS: The current study demonstrated the feasibility of routine psychosocial screening over 2 years using the electronically administered PSC-17P in a network of pediatric practices. This study also corroborated past reports that PSC-17 risk rates differed significantly by insurance type (Medicaid vs commercial), sex, and age group.

Caudal epidural morphine analgesia for an infant with advanced neuroblastoma: report of a case.

Caudal epidural administration of morphine was used to provide pain relief to a 5-month-old infant with neuroblastoma and massive abdominal distension. Intermittent injections were performed on 6 occasions over 1 week and resulted in prolonged analgesia (17-20 h) and improved depth of respiration on each occasion. Epidural opioid analgesia should be regarded as technically feasible for relief of cancer pain in patients of all ages.