EPSDT preventive services in a low-income pediatric population: impact of a nursing protocol.
Medicaid mandates coverage of clinical preventive services for children under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment program (EPSDT). This article assesses the usefulness of a nursing protocol for delivering comprehensive EPSDT services to pediatric patients during any primary care visit. Secondary data from a recent controlled trial were analyzed. An intervention group received the clinical protocol (n = 514 children in a low-income pediatric clinic), whereas data from a "usual care" comparison group were obtained from medical records (n = 115 children). The nursing protocol included 52 items corresponding to EPSDT services and was administered by a prevention nurse. In the intervention group, 11 605 out of 11 607 (approximately 100.0%) EPSDT service needs were initiated, as compared to 21.2% (572 out of 2695) in the comparison group (P < .001). The study demonstrates the feasibility of using a nursing protocol to integrate EPSDT clinical preventive services into pediatric visits.
Hull
Pamela C
PC
Center for Health Research, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN 37209, USA. pamhull@tnstate.edu
Husaini
Baqar A
BA
Tropez-Sims
Susanne
S
Reece
Michelle
M
Emerson
Janice
J
Levine
Robert
R
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000458:organization & administration; D008484:Medicaid; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D009819:Office Visits; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000458:organization & administration; D011203:Poverty; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States