Published online June 1, 2006
PEDIATRICS Vol. 117 No. 6 June 2006, pp. 2080-2092 (doi:10.1542/peds.2005-1904)
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Web of Science (14)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Wang, C. J.
Right arrow Articles by Schuster, M. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Wang, C. J.
Right arrow Articles by Schuster, M. A.
Related Collections
Right arrow Premature & Newborn
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Facebook   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

Quality-of-Care Indicators for the Neurodevelopmental Follow-up of Very Low Birth Weight Children: Results of an Expert Panel Process

C. Jason Wang, MD, MPhila,b, Elizabeth A. McGlynn, PhDa, Robert H. Brook, MD, ScDa,c,,d, Carol H. Leonard, PhDe, Robert E. Piecuch, MDe, Steven I. Hsuehf and Mark A. Schuster, MD, PhDa,b,,d

a RAND Health, Santa Monica, California
b Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
c Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angles, California
d Department of Health Services, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
e Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
f University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California

OBJECTIVE. To develop a set of quality indicators for the neurodevelopmental follow-up care of very low birth weight (VLBW; <1500 g) children.

METHODS. We reviewed the scientific literature on predictors of neurodevelopmental outcomes for VLBW children and the clinical practice guidelines relevant to their care after hospital discharge. An expert panel with members nominated by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the Vermont Oxford Network, and the California Children's Service was convened. We used a modified Delphi method to evaluate and select the quality-of-care indicators.

RESULTS. The panel recommended a total of 70 indicators in 5 postdischarge follow-up areas: general care; physical health; vision, hearing, speech, and language; developmental and behavioral assessment; and psychosocial issues. Of these, 58 (83%) indicators were in preventive care, 5 (7%) were in acute care, and 7 (10%) were in chronic care.

CONCLUSION. The quality indicators cover follow-up care for VLBW infants with various medical conditions. Given the elevated rates of long-term neurodevelopmental disabilities and the potential impact of poor health care, this new set of indicators provides an opportunity to assess and monitor the quality of follow-up care with the ultimate aim of improving the quality of care for this high-risk population.

Key Words: low birth weight • quality of care

Abbreviations: VLBW—very low birth weight • NBW—normal birth weight • VON—Vermont Oxford Network

Accepted Nov 29, 2005.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Facebook Facebook   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Arch. Dis. Child.Home page
P L Kavanagh, W G Adams, and C J Wang
Quality indicators and quality assessment in child health
Arch. Dis. Child., June 1, 2009; 94(6): 458 - 463.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
C. M. T. Robertson, T. M. Howarth, D. L. R. Bork, and I. A. Dinu
Permanent Bilateral Sensory and Neural Hearing Loss of Children After Neonatal Intensive Care Because of Extreme Prematurity: A Thirty-Year Study
Pediatrics, May 1, 2009; 123(5): e797 - e807.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
C. J. Wang, M. N. Elliott, E. A. McGlynn, R. H. Brook, and M. A. Schuster
Population-Based Assessments of Ophthalmologic and Audiologic Follow-up in Children With Very Low Birth Weight Enrolled in Medicaid: A Quality-of-Care Study
Pediatrics, February 1, 2008; 121(2): e278 - e285.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
J. Profit, J. A. F. Zupancic, J. B. Gould, and L. A. Petersen
Implementing Pay-for-Performance in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Pediatrics, May 1, 2007; 119(5): 975 - 982.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 PediatricsHome page
L. L. Wright
What will it take to improve very low birth weight follow-up care?
Pediatrics, June 1, 2006; 117(6): 2277 - 2278.
[Full Text] [PDF]