title: The Logistics and Coordination of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Immunoprophylaxis Use Among US Pediatric Specialists.
abstract: This study was conducted to survey US pediatric specialists about administration of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunoprophylaxis, communication patterns among physicians and parents, and barriers to access. Separate surveys were sent to neonatologists, pediatricians, pediatric pulmonologists, and pediatric cardiologists. Most physicians (≥93.5%) routinely recommended immunoprophylaxis to high-risk children. Most respondents (≥71.8%) reported that >50.0% of eligible infants and young children received each monthly dose throughout the RSV season, with the first dose most commonly administered before discharge from the birth hospitalization. To ensure receipt of subsequent doses, specialists frequently scheduled a follow-up visit at the end of the current appointment. All specialists reported insurance denials as the biggest obstacle to the administration of immunoprophylaxis to high-risk children. These findings may be used to improve adherence to immunoprophylaxis by enhancing education and physician-parent communications about severe RSV disease prevention, and by reducing known barriers to use of this preventive therapy.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Pierre C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas Hospital, Kansas City, KS, USA.
authors.forename: Prabhu S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Parimi
authors.affiliation: Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Domachowske
authors.affiliation: New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.affiliation: Maimonides Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Marcus
authors.affiliation: Arnold Palmer Hospital, Orlando, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.
authors.forename: William V
authors.initials: WV
authors.lastname: La Via
authors.affiliation: ICON, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Iqra A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Syed
authors.affiliation: ICON, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Shelagh M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Szabo
authors.affiliation: AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Kimmie K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: McLaurin
authors.affiliation: AstraZeneca, Gaithersburg, MD, USA kumarve@medimmune.com.
authors.forename: Veena R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D000069455:Palivizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000069455:Palivizumab
keywords: RSV; cardiologist; neonatologist; palivizumab; pediatrician; pulmonologist