Does Parental Report of Having a Medical Home Attenuate the Negative Association Between Unmet Basic Needs and Health for Low-Income Children?

Background. It is unknown whether the medical home reduces the impact of adverse social determinants on low-income child health. Objective. To examine whether the medical home attenuates the association between unmet basic needs and health for low-income children. Design/Methods. Secondary data analysis of the 2011-12 NSCH restricted to <200% FPL children (n = 26 974). Multivariable logistic regression modeled child health with unmet basic needs to examine the effect modification of the medical home. Results. Low-income children with unmet needs had lower odds of "excellent/very good" health compared to children without unmet needs, regardless of the medical home [aOR = 0.78 (0.61-0.99) vs aOR = 0.77 (0.63-0.94), P = .01), respectively]. The medical home did not modify the negative association between unmet basic needs and "excellent/very good" child health (P = .97). Conclusion. Having a medical home per parental report did not attenuate the negative relationship between unmet basic needs and lowincome child health.

Income Disparities in the Association of the Medical Home With Child Health.

This study was a secondary data analysis of the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health. Data were available for a nationally representative sample of 81 090 children. Multivariable logistic regression was used to model child health with the medical home while examining the effect modification of household income and controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. Overall, the medical home was significantly associated with "excellent/very good" child health for children regardless of household income. However, the association of the medical home with "excellent/very good" child health was significantly higher for children in households earning >200% FPL (federal poverty level) compared with <200% FPL (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.13 [95% CI 1.80-2.52] vs aOR 1.46 [95% CI 1.24-1.71]; P < .01). This relationship was also found among children >400% FPL compared with children between 100% and 199% FPL (aOR 2.25 [95% CI 1.74-2.9 0] vs aOR 1.28 [95% CI 1.01-1.62]; P < .01). Therefore, while the medical home is associated with beneficial child health for most children, significant disparities by income exist.

Socioeconomic and Racial Disparities in Parental Perception and Experience of Having a Medical Home, 2007 to 2011-2012.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether socioeconomic (SES) and racial disparities in the parental perception and experience of having a medical home decreased from 2007 to 2011-2012. METHODS: We used nationally representative samples of children aged 1 to 17 from the 2007 (n = 83,293) and 2011-2012 (n = 87,774) National Surveys of Children's Health. Multivariable logistic regression was used to test associations between SES (income, employment, and education) and race/ethnicity to the medical home and its subcomponents (personal doctor or nurse, usual source of care, family-centered care, referrals, care coordination), controlling for a priori identified covariates. RESULTS: From 2007 to 2011-2012, fewer children overall had access to a medical home (56.9% vs 54.0%, aOR = 0.91, 95% confidence interval 0.86-0.96). There were no significant changes in SES and racial trends in access to the medical home during this time period. For example, parents of children <100% federal poverty level (FPL) were significantly less likely to report having a medical home than parents of children ≥400% FPL in 2007 and 2011-2012; however, this disparity did not significantly change during the time period (aOR = 0.98, 95% confidence interval 0.75-1.27). There were also no significant changes in SES and racial/ethnic disparities over time for each medical home subcomponent. CONCLUSIONS: Despite widespread efforts to promote the medical home for all children, large SES and racial disparities in the parental perception and experience of having a medical home persisted from 2007 to 2011-2012.

Pediatric-Informed Facilitation of Patient-Centered Medical Home Transformation.

Patient-centered medical home (PCMH) transformation has been challenging for pediatric practices, in part because of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) PCMH focus on conditions and processes specific to adult patients. Realizing the potential challenges faced by pediatric practices, Vermont supported pediatric-informed facilitators to help practices during PCMH transformation. This study characterizes the impact of pediatric-informed facilitators; provides benchmark data on NCQA scores, number of facilitation meetings, and the time between facilitation start and end; and compares pediatric- and adult-serving practices. We found no difference between pediatric and matched adult-serving practices in NCQA score, number of facilitation meetings, or weeks to NCQA scoring. These results suggest that pediatric-informed facilitators can help pediatric practices achieve NCQA PCMH recognition on par with practices serving adult patients. Supporting primary care practices with specialty-informed facilitators can assist integration into health care reform efforts.

A comparison of individual- versus practice-level measures of the medical home.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between a widely used individual-level assessment of the medical home derived from parental perception and practice-level assessment of the medical home. METHODS: Thirty parents at each of 6 Boston-area community health centers (CHCs) were administered the 19-question medical home measure of the 2011 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH). Each CHC was scored in accordance with the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) 2011 Patient-Centered Medical Home Standards and Guidelines. Bivariate analysis of the independent variables against the dependent variable (the NCQA measure, assessed as both a continuous score and a categorical tier) was performed. Linear and logistical regression models accounting for the cluster design were then constructed, with the NSCH measure as the primary predictor. RESULTS: Of the 180 parents, 52% had a medical home according to the NSCH criteria. Of the 6 CHCs, 5 were a medical home according to the NCQA Standards (2 at Tier 3, 3 at Tier 2). Regression modeling demonstrated nonsignificant associations between both the continuous and categorical (tier) NCQA scores and the NSCH assessment of the medical home, with a ß of -2.80 (95% confidence interval, -7.75 to 13.35) and an adjusted odds ratio of 2.17 (95% confidence interval, 0.82 to 5.74), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant association between the individual-level and practice-level assessments of the medical home. Given this discrepancy, our results suggest that we may need to temper our expectations that the medical home transformation currently being implemented at the practice level will lead to the child health and health care utilization outcomes extensively demonstrated in the literature.

A systematic review of the medical home for children without special health care needs.

To conduct a systematic review of the evidence associating the medical home with beneficial health outcomes in healthy children. The English-language pediatric literature 1975-2011 was searched via PubMed, Embase and CINAHL. Inclusion criteria (the medical home as an independent variable, individual-level quantitative analysis, outpatient setting in the US, healthy children) and exclusion criteria (age >18, medical home operationalized with only one American Academy of Pediatrics component) were determined a priori. Presence of a medical home was examined in relation to three outcome measures: primary care services, health care utilization, and child well-being. Of 4,856 unique citations, 9 studies were included in the final systematic review, amassing 290,180 children from 6 data sources. Two drew on prospective cohort data; the remainder, on cross-sectional design. Children with a medical home were more likely to receive preventive medical care (2 studies), anticipatory guidance (1 study), and developmental screening (1 study); to have higher health-related quality of life (1 study); and were less likely to seek care in the emergency department (2 studies). The medical home was associated with full immunization status in only 1 of 4 studies examining this outcome. No protective effect of the medical home was found with regard to preventable hospitalization (1 study). The medical home is associated with beneficial health outcomes among healthy children. However, the evidence is limited in comparison with that for children with special health care needs. As healthy children represent the majority of the pediatric population, this lack of evidence represents a significant knowledge gap.

Are components of the medical home differentially associated with child health care utilization, health, and health promoting behavior outcomes?

OBJECTIVE: To determine if specific components of the medical home are differentially associated with beneficial child outcomes. METHODS: Logistic regression was used to model each component (family-centeredness, comprehensive care, and care coordination) with health care utilization, child health, and health promoting behaviors in 81 232 subjects from the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health. RESULTS: Family-centeredness was associated with increased odds of children being read to (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.16). Comprehensive care was associated with decreased outpatient (aOR = 0.70) and emergency department (aOR = 0.79) sick visits and with increased child health per parental assessment (aOR = 1.50). Care coordination was associated with increased preventive care visits (aOR = 1.41) and increased outpatient (aOR = 1.21) and emergency department (aOR = 1.24) sick visits. Stratification by special health care needs demonstrated similar findings. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive care was associated with improved child health and health care utilization. Prospective studies are needed to further investigate the differential impact of components of the medical home on child health.

The value of the medical home for children without special health care needs.

OBJECTIVE: Although the medical home is promoted by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Affordable Care Act, its impact on children without special health care needs is unknown. We examined whether the medical home is associated with beneficial health care utilization and health-promoting behaviors in this population. METHODS: This study was a secondary data analysis of the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health. Data were available for 70 007 children without special health care needs. We operationalized the medical home according to the National Survey of Children's Health design. Logistic regression for complex sample surveys was used to model each outcome with the medical home, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: Overall, 58.1% of children without special health care needs had a medical home. The medical home was significantly associated with increased preventive care visits (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.32 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22-1.43]), decreased outpatient sick visits (aOR: 0.71 [95% CI: 0.66-0.76), and decreased emergency department sick visits (aOR: 0.70 [95% CI: 0.65-0.76]). It was associated with increased odds of "excellent/very good" child health according to parental assessment (aOR: 1.29 [95% CI: 1.15-1.45) and health-promoting behaviors such as being read to daily (aOR: 1.46 [95% CI: 1.13-1.89]), reported helmet use (aOR: 1.18 [95% CI: 1.03-1.34]), and decreased screen time (aOR: 1.12 [95% CI: 1.02-1.22]). CONCLUSIONS: For children without special health care needs, the medical home is associated with improved health care utilization patterns, better parental assessment of child health, and increased adherence with health-promoting behaviors. These findings support the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Affordable Care Act to extend the medical home to all children.

In utero premature closure of the ductus arteriosus presenting as isolated right ventricular hypertrophy.

BACKGROUND: The etiology of isolated right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) is distinct from other forms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. RVH is typically seen in the setting of pulmonary valve stenosis or Tetralogy of Fallot. A rare cause of isolated RVH is premature closure of the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in utero that results in pulmonary hypertension. This can have a range of outcomes, from spontaneous resolution to fetal demise. METHODS: This case report describes a term infant who presented with respiratory distress and striking isolated RVH, pulmonary hypertension, and no PDA. She was treated conservatively with supplemental oxygen. RESULTS: The patient was gradually weaned off oxygen over the course of two weeks and follow-up echocardiography showed resolution of her RVH and pulmonary hypertension by 14 weeks of age. CONCLUSIONS: The presentation and course of this patient with severe isolated RVH is consistent with spontaneous premature closure of the ductus arteriosus in utero.