Implementation

Pediatricians and other clinicians look to the AAP for expert guidance on child health care issues and for promotion of quality care in the practice setting. A 1998 AAP periodic survey of AAP Fellows found that a majority of pediatricians think it is very or somewhat important that the Academy promote quality improvement in pediatrics. Seventy-seven percent of pediatricians surveyed believed the Academy should focus its quality improvement efforts on providing materials to help pediatric practices implement clinical practice guidelines and other policy.

In 2001, the Academy took this cue from its membership by coordinating the implementation of its guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder over the past few years. The project addresses the considerable gap between research and practice, and the project's implementation efforts, which targeted multiple levels, have resulted in considerable change in practice and health outcomes.

The AAP is building on the success of the ADHD implementation effort by continuing to translate research and developing strategies to implement additional guidelines into practice. Efforts are currently underway to develop an implementation effort for the 2004 guidelines on acute otitis media, otitis media with effusion, and hyperbilirubinemia.

Partnership for Policy Implementation
A Pilot Project to Integrate Health Information Technology Development into American Academy of Pediatrics' Policy.

ADHD Parent Information

Academy working to improve quality in children's healthcare (AAP News Vol 25 No. 5 November 2004, p236)

Project helps Chapters improve ADHD cure (AAP News Vol 25 No. 1 July 2004, p40)

Chapter-based collaborations aim to improve care for children (AAP News Vol 22 No. 3 March 2003, p109)

Getting your arms around ADHD: New tools help pediatricians implement Academy's recent diagnostic guidelines (AAP News 2002 Vol 21 No.64 - Note: Subscriber link)

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