School nurse perception of asthma care in school-based telehealth.

OBJECTIVE: School-based telehealth (SBTH) offers an opportunity to overcome traditional barriers to providing comprehensive asthma care for children. Guided by an implementation science framework considering factors internal and external to the school setting, we characterized barriers and facilitators to asthma care within an existing SBTH program available in over 50 under-resourced South Carolina schools. METHODS: This cross-sectional study assessed barriers and facilitators to SBTH asthma care delivery using web-based surveys of school nurses, specifically addressing school implementation of telehealth methods. Surveys evaluated practices and nurse and school-specific factors related to telehealth implementation including perceived barriers, organizational readiness and self-efficacy. Utilizers were schools who completed 1-10 average visits per month while non-utilizers completed less than 1 average visit per month. Descriptive statistics were performed to characterize perceptions in utilizers versus non-utilizers. RESULTS: Of 53 surveys distributed, 36 were completed (68% response rate). Commonly cited barriers included inadequate time due to competing tasks in both utilizers (65%) and non-utilizers (74%) as well as lack of caregiver involvement in care planning (94% of utilizers and 84% of non-utilizers). Of those utilizing specific, relevant telehealth services, schools scored high in perceptions of organizational readiness (n = 24, mean: 24.5/30), self-efficacy (n = 26, mean: 3.6/5) and comfort with identifying students eligible for SBTH (n = 26, mean: 3.5/5). CONCLUSIONS: We identified inadequate nurse time and challenges engaging caregivers as key barriers to implementation of a school-based telehealth asthma program providing care to an under-resourced population. Addressing these barriers when expanding telehealth services may promote utilization of telehealth.

Comparison of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Care Between School-Based Health Centers and a Continuity Clinic.

BACKGROUND: School-based health centers (SBHC) are in a unique position to provide guideline-driven attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) care. In this study, we compared adherence to 2 components of ADHD guidelines in SBHC versus a continuity clinic. METHODS: We compared proportions of ADHD visits that had a structured symptom report available and timely follow-up in SBHC to a continuity clinic using chart review. We used multiple logistic regression to estimate the association between guideline adherence and clinic type. RESULTS: Participants who had a medication dose change were 3.9 times more likely (relative risk [RR] = 3.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.0-5.1) to have a structured report present and 1.7 times more likely (RR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.2-2.2) to have follow-up within 30 days if they were seen in SBHC versus continuity clinic. Participants who were stable on their medication dose were 18 times more likely (RR = 18.0, 95% CI 11.3-29.0) to have a structured report present and 1.4 times more likely (RR = 1.4, 95% CI 1.3-1.6) to have follow-up within 100 days if they were seen in SBHC versus continuity clinic. CONCLUSIONS: Care provided in SBHC was associated with improved adherence to guidelines and has the potential to the improve pediatric ADHD outcomes.

Understanding the Constipation Conundrum: Predictors of Obtaining an Abdominal Radiograph During the Emergency Department Evaluation of Pediatric Constipation.

OBJECTIVES: Many children with constipation who are evaluated in emergency departments (EDs) receive an abdominal radiograph (AR) despite evidence-based guidelines discouraging imaging. The objectives of this study were to identify predictors associated with obtaining an AR and to determine if ARs were associated with a longer length of stay (LOS) among children with constipation evaluated in the ED. METHODS: A review of billing and electronic health records was conducted in an academic pediatric ED for children ages 0 to 17 years who had a primary discharge diagnosis of constipation from July 2013 to June 2014. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors for obtaining an AR. Differences in mean LOS were analyzed using linear regression. RESULTS: In total, 326 children met inclusion criteria, and 60% of the children received an AR. In logistic regression, significant predictors included age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.1/year of age, P = 0.004), presenting with abdominal pain as chief complaint compared with constipation (OR = 4.4, P < 0.0001), and history of emesis (OR = 2.8, P = 0.001) after controlling for provider type and previous constipation medication use. In linear regression, the adjusted mean LOS for those with an AR was 163 minutes compared with 117 minutes for those without after controlling for age, provider type, and history of constipation medication use (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Abdominal radiographs were used frequently in the ED diagnosis and management of constipation, particularly in older children and those with abdominal pain and emesis. Abdominal radiographs were associated with increased LOS.

Constipation-Related Emergency Department Use, and Associated Office Visits and Payments Among Commercially Insured Children.

OBJECTIVE: Pediatric constipation is common, costly, and often managed in the Emergency Department (ED). The objectives of this study were to determine the frequency of constipation-related ED visits in a large commercially insured population, the frequency of an office visit in the month before and after these visits, demographic characteristics associated with these office visits, and the ED-associated payments. METHODS: Data were extracted from the Truven MarketScan database for commercially insured children from 2012 to 2013. Data on the presence and timing of clinic visits within 30 days before and after an ED constipation visit and demographic variables were extracted. Logistic regression was used to predict an outcome of presence of a visit with independent variables of age, sex, and region of the country. RESULTS: In a population of 17 million children aged 0 to 17 years, 448,440 (2.6%) were identified with constipation in at least 1 setting, with 65,163 (14.5%) having an ED visit for constipation. Of all children with a constipation-related ED visit, 45% had no office visit in the 30 days before or after the ED visit. Increasing age was associated with absence of an office visit. The median payment by insurance for an ED constipation visit was $523, the median out-of-pocket payment was $100, for a total of $623 per visit. CONCLUSION: One in 7 children with constipation in this commercially insured population received ED care for constipation, many without an outpatient visit in the month before or after. Efforts to improve primary care utilization for this condition should be encouraged.