EPSDT Preventive Services in a Low-Income Pediatric Population: Impact of a Nursing Protocol
Pamela C. Hull*,
Baqar A. Husaini,
Susanne Tropez-Sims,
Michelle Reece,
Janice Emerson,
and
Robert Levine
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: pamhull{at}tnstate.edu.
 |
Abstract |
|---|
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 (<I>P </I>< .001). The study demonstrates the feasibility of using a nursing protocol to integrate EPSDT clinical preventive services into pediatric visits.
