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Purpose: Research has demonstrated negative environmental impacts from in-person conferences. Nonetheless, there are benefits to in-person meetings. The 2023 American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA) meeting was mostly attended in-person. To understand the environmental impact, this study quantifies the travel emissions generated from that meeting., Methods: The 2023 APSA meeting was held in Orlando, FL. Using a de-identified list of attendees, the distance between the attendee's home city and Orlando was determined. If ≤ 200 miles, it was assumed the attendee drove. If > 200 miles, the distance between the closest airport and Orlando International Airport was determined. Travel emissions factors represent emissions per person-mile traveled. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Greenhouse Gas Inventory emissions factors for carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) were multiplied by travel distances to determine the emissions generated from each attendee. These were aggregated to determine the total meeting travel emissions. The EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator was used to convert the emissions to a relatable outcome., Results: There were 757 in-person and 135 virtual attendees. Fifty attendees drove and 707 attendees flew. This generated 267,279 kg CO 2 , 1222 gm CH 4 , and 8486 gm N 2 O; equivalent to the emissions generated from the average annual use of 60 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles in the United States., Conclusion: Based on attendance to the 2023 APSA meeting, there is a preference for meeting in-person, though the associated environmental cost should be recognized. Based on these results, APSA should consider strategies to mitigate the environmental impact of its annual meeting., Levels of Evidence: N/A., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To compare level of supervision (LOS) ratings of graduating pediatric residents with their assessments as fellows for the five Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) common to general pediatrics and the subspecialties and to determine if the difference between ratings from residency to fellowship is less for the QI and Practice Management EPAs, since the skills needed to perform these may be less context-dependent., Methods: We compared ratings of graduating residents with their assessments as fellows using LOS data from two sequential EPA studies., Results: There were 65 ratings from 41 residents at the first fellow assessment. At graduation, most residents needed little to no supervision for all EPAs with 94% (61/65) of ratings level four or five. In contrast, only 5/65 (8%) of the first fellow assessments were level four or five. The ratings difference for the QI and Practice Management EPAs was similar to the others., Conclusions: LOS ratings for the EPAs common to generalists and subspecialists reset as residents become fellows. There was no evidence that the QI and Practice Management EPAs are less context-dependent. This study provides additional validity evidence for using these LOS scales to assess trainees in pediatric residency and fellowship., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Dr. Turner is employed by the American Board of Pediatrics. The other authors have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose. The content of this manuscript is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the American Board of Pediatrics or the American Board of Pediatrics Foundation., (Copyright © 2024 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Firearm injuries have become the leading cause of death among American children. Here we review the scope of the problem, and the pivotal role pediatric surgeons have in preventing pediatric firearm injury. Specific methods for screening and counseling are reviewed, as well as how to overcome barriers. Community and hospital resources as well as organizational efforts are discussed. Finally, a path for surgeon advocacy is outlined as is a call to action for the pediatric surgeon, as we are uniquely poised to identify pediatric patients and deliver timely interventions to reduce the impact of firearm violence. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The goal of this study was to understand the effect of transition to telehealth care on follow-up visit attendance in a developmental-behavioral pediatric (DBP) practice in 2020 versus in-person care in 2019., Methods: This was a retrospective observational cohort study of follow-up visits occurring in a large DBP practice during a 6-week period in March/April of 2019 and 2020. The primary outcome was follow-up visit adherence, defined as completion of scheduled follow-up visit. The primary exposure was telehealth visit in 2020 versus in-person visit in 2019. Covariates included patient demographics and clinical characteristics. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression., Results: The cohort included 2142 visits for 1868 unique patients. The patient mean age was 9.2 ± 4.8 years, with 73.4% male, 56.5% non-Hispanic, 51.4% White, and 68.3% commercial insurance. There were 470 telehealth visits from March to April 2020 and 1672 in-person visits from March to April 2019. Compared with in-person visits, telehealth visits were more likely to be completed (75.3% vs 64.4%, p < 0.001). After adjusting for age, sex, race, ethnicity, insurance, and week of visit (weeks 1-3 vs 4-6), odds of having a complete follow-up visit were higher for telehealth visits than for in-person visits (odds ratio = 1.57; 95% confidence interval [1.23-2.00], p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Follow-up visit attendance was higher for telehealth care in 2020 than in-person care in 2019. This association persisted after adjusting for insurance, age, race, and ethnicity, suggesting that telehealth is associated with increased follow-up visit attendance in DBP care. Further studies are needed to understand the impact of telehealth on DBP clinical outcomes in chronic disease management., Competing Interests: Disclosure: V. Chen was funded by the Northwell-Mentored Pediatric Service Line Research Grant for Early Career Investigators. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To describe inpatient length of stay patterns, identify key drivers related to prolonged length of stay, and evaluate the relationship between length of stay and readmission in pediatric neurology., Methods: This was a retrospective review of patients <19 years old admitted with a principal neurologic diagnosis to our hospital between January 2017 and July 2019. Scheduled admissions and hospital admissions lasting >30 days were excluded from analysis. Length of stay was obtained in addition to demographic characteristics, principal discharge diagnosis, multispecialty care, use of multiple antiseizure medications, inpatient hospital costs (ie, claims paid), and pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) admission for unplanned admissions and 7- and 30-day readmissions., Results: There were a total of 1579 unplanned admissions. The most common reasons for admission were seizure (n = 942), headache (n = 161), other neurologic diagnosis (n = 121), and psychiatric disorders/functional neurologic disorder (n = 60). Children admitted to the hospital for a neurologic condition have an average length of stay of 2.8±5.0 days for unplanned admissions, 4.5±7.4 days for 7-day readmissions, and 5.2±7.5 days for 30-day readmissions. Average inpatient hospital costs were $44 075±56 976 for unplanned admissions, $60 361±71 427 for 7-day readmissions, and $55 434±56 442 for 30-day readmissions. Prolonged length of stay and increased hospital costs were associated with pediatric ICU admission, multispecialty care, 7- and 30-day readmission, multiple antiseizure medications, and psychiatric disorders / functional neurologic disorders., Conclusions: Pediatric ICU admission, multispecialty care, readmission, multiple antiseizure medications, and psychiatric disorder / functional neurologic disorder prolong length of stay and increase hospital costs.

Background: The disruptive effects on society and medical systems due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are substantial and far-reaching. The effect of the pandemic on the quantity and quality of pediatric traumas is unclear and has a direct bearing on how scarce hospital resources should be allocated in a pandemic situation., Methods: A retrospective review of the trauma registry was performed for trauma activations in the years 2018 through 2020 during the months of March, April, and May. Demographic and injury specific datapoints were compared across calendar years., Results: There were 111, 100, and 52 trauma activations during the study interval in 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively. There were fewer highest severity level activations in 2020 compared to 2018 and 2019 (1 vs 5 and 9; p < 0.01). The median Injury Severity Score was 5 in 2020 compared to 4 in both 2018 and 2019 (p < 0.01). More patients went directly to the operating room in 2020 compared to prior years (21.2% vs 8% and 6.1%; p < 0.01). There were fewer discharges from the emergency department (ED) (12.1% vs 36.6% and 32.7%). No increase in the number of child abuse reports and investigations was noted. There was no difference in the proportion of blunt versus penetrating trauma between years (p = 0.57). No pedestrians were struck by automobiles in 2020 compared to 12 and 14 in 2018 and 2019. However, there were a greater proportion of injuries from falls during 2020 compared to prior years., Conclusions: There were fewer trauma activations during the peak of the COVID pandemic compared to prior years. Due to the decrease in trauma volume during the peak of the pandemic, hospital resources could potentially be reallocated toward areas of greater need., Level of Evidence: IV; Retrospective cohort study using historical controls., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a profound impact on medical educational curricula. We aimed to examine the impact of these unprecedented changes on the formal education of paediatric cardiology fellows through a nationwide survey. A REDCap™-based voluntary anonymous survey was sent to all current paediatric cardiology fellows in the United States of America in May, 2020. Of 143 respondents, 121 were categorical fellows, representing over one-fourth of all categorical paediatric cardiology fellows in the United States of America. Nearly all (140/143, 97.9%) respondents utilised online learning during the pandemic, with 134 (93.7%) reporting an increase in use compared to pre-pandemic. The percentage of respondents reporting curriculum supplementation with outside lectures increased from 11.9 to 88.8% during the pandemic. Respondents considered online learning to be "equally or more effective" than in-person lectures in convenience (133/142, 93.7%), improving fellow attendance (132/142, 93.0%), improving non-fellow attendance (126/143, 88.1%), and meeting individual learning needs (101/143, 70.6%). The pandemic positively affected the lecture curriculum of 83 respondents (58.0%), with 35 (24.5%) reporting no change and 25 (17.5%) reporting a negative effect. A positive effect was most noted by those whose programmes utilised supplemental outside lectures (62.2 versus 25.0%, p = 0.004) and those whose lecture frequency did not decrease (65.1 versus 5.9%, p < 0.001). Restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic have greatly increased utilisation of online learning platforms by medical training programmes. This survey reveals that an online lecture curriculum, despite inherent obstacles, offers advantages that may mitigate some negative consequences of the pandemic on fellowship education.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected patients across all age groups, with a wide range of illness severity from asymptomatic carriers to severe multi-organ dysfunction and death. Although early reports have shown that younger age groups experience less severe disease than older adults, our understanding of this phenomenon is in continuous evolution. Recently, a severe multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), with active or recent COVID-19 infection, has been increasingly reported. Children with MIS-C may demonstrate signs and symptoms of Kawasaki disease, but also have some distinct differences. These children have more frequent and severe gastrointestinal symptoms and are more likely to present with a shock-like presentation. Moreover, they often present with cardiovascular involvement including myocardial dysfunction, valvulitis, and coronary artery dilation or aneurysms. Here, we present a review of the literature and summary of our current understanding of cardiovascular involvement in children with COVID-19 or MIS-C and identifying the role of a pediatric cardiologist in caring for these patients.

Recent pediatric clinical research has begun to focus on risk stratification tools using multibiomarker models. C-reactive protein (CRP) and ferriti biomarkers are widely available and used to varying degrees in daily practice, but there is no single source examining the evidence behind their use.We set out to summarize the evidence behind the use of CRP and ferritin biomarkers in pediatric practice and to begin development of a consensus for their future use for pediatricians.All the literature involving CRP and ferritin in pediatrics available on PubMed was surveyed. Research applicable to daily pediatric practice was summarized in the body of the article. Pediatric clinicians of various subspecialties contributed to the summary of the use of CRP and ferritin biomarkers in clinical practice in various disease processes. A clinical decision pathway is described, and evidence is summarized.CRP and ferritin biomarkers have diverse uses with various cutoff values in the literature, making their use in daily practice difficult. Elevation of these markers coincides with their significant elevation in uncontrolled inflammation.CRP and ferritin biomarkers are widely used in pediatrics. This review provides a resource summarizing evidence into a single source. There is sufficient evidence to indicate that these biomarkers of inflammation can be useful in guiding clinical decision making in specific clinical scenarios; however, further work is needed to improve their use in clinical practice., (© American Academy of Pediatrics, 2020. All rights reserved.)

This article reviews the industrial underpinnings of the quality improvement (QI) movement and describes how QI became integrated within the larger health care landscape, including hospital medicine. QI methodologies and a framework for using them are described. Key components that make up a successful QI clinical project are outlined, with a focus on the essential role of pediatric hospitalists and practical professional tips to be successful. QI training opportunities are reviewed with opportunities for hospitalists to get involved in QI on a national level. National QI networks are showcased, with multiple examples of advanced improvement projects that have significantly improved patient outcomes highlighted., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Neonatal tracheal intubation (NTI) is an important clinical skill. Suboptimal performance is associated with patient harm. Simulation training can improve NTI performance. Improving performance requires an objective assessment of competency. Competency assessment tools need strong evidence of validity. We hypothesized that an NTI competency assessment tool with multisource validity evidence could be developed and be used for formative and summative assessment during simulation-based training., Methods: An NTI assessment tool was developed based on a literature review. The tool was refined through 2 rounds of a modified Delphi process involving 12 subject-matter experts. The final tool included a 22-item checklist, a global skills assessment, and an entrustable professional activity (EPA) level. The validity of the checklist was assessed by having 4 blinded reviewers score 23 videos of health care providers intubating a neonatal simulator., Results: The checklist items had good internal consistency (overall α = 0.79). Checklist scores were greater for providers at greater training levels and with more NTI experience. Checklist scores correlated with global skills assessment (ρ = 0.85; P < .05), EPA levels (ρ = 0.87; P < .05), percent glottic exposure (r = 0.59; P < .05), and Cormack-Lehane scores (ρ = 0.95; P < .05). Checklist scores reliably predicted EPA levels., Conclusions: We developed an NTI competency assessment tool with multisource validity evidence. The tool was able to discriminate NTI performance based on experience. The tool can be used during simulation-based NTI training to provide formative and summative assessment and can aid with entrustment decisions., (Copyright © 2018 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Women are entering the subspecialty of pediatric urology at an accelerated rate. Gender differences affecting fellowship and job selection have been identified in other fields of medicine., Objective: The objective of this study was to understand gender differences in pediatric urology fellowship and job selection and how they may affect the workforce., Study Design: A 47-question electronic survey consisting of questions regarding demographics, residency training, and factors influencing fellowship and job selection was distributed to current fellows and recent graduates in pediatric urology in May 2017., Results: A total of 111 recent and current fellows were contacted, and 72% completed the survey (55% female [F] and 45% male [M]; 61% current fellows and 39% recent fellows). Respondents rated factors important in choosing pediatric urology on a scale of 1-5 (1, not important and 5, extremely important), and the top three for both genders were 1-working with children, 2-influential mentors, and 3-bread and butter cases such as inguinal orchiopexy. During residency, 93% of respondents reported having influential mentors in pediatric urology. However, mentorship was more important in fellowship choice for males than females (3.6 F, 4.1 M; P-value = 0.048), and 45% reported having only male mentors. Rating factors important in job choice on a scale of 1-5, respondents reported the top factors as 1-rapport with partners/mentorship (4.5), 2-geography/family preferences (4.3), and 3-participation in mentoring/teaching (3.8). Although most job selection criteria were rated similarly between genders, females rated call schedule higher than males (3.5 F, 2.9 M, P-value = 0.009). Although most females and males (79% of F, 78% of M, P-value = 0.868) sought primarily academic positions, a smaller proportion of females accepted academic positions (52% of F, 72% of M, P-value 0.26), and females reported lower satisfaction regarding the availability of jobs on a scale of 1-5 (1, very dissatisfied and 5, very satisfied; 3.1 F, 3.7 M; P-value = 0.034), particularly in academic positions (3.1 F, 3.7 M; P-value = 0.06). This difference was more pronounced in current fellows than recent graduates and may represent a worsening trend., Conclusion: Although significant gender differences in fellowship and job selection may exist in other fields, we found that women and men choose pediatric urology fellowships and jobs using similar criteria, which include work-life balance. Gender differences exist in the influence of mentors, indicating a need for more female mentors. While men and women sought similar types of jobs, women were less satisfied with the availability of jobs, particularly academic jobs, than men, which warrants further investigation., (Copyright © 2018 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Hospital-acquired pressure injuries (PIs) present a significant challenge to pediatric providers., Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement program was to develop and implement a debrief protocol and to evaluate compliance with and the implementation of a comprehensive prevention bundle to decrease the overall incidence and severity of pediatric pressure ulcers (PUs)/PIs in a free-standing children's hospital., Methods: As a member of the Children's Hospitals Solution for Patients Safety national network, a PU Hospital Acquired Conditions (HAC) team was created in 2013, followed by the development and implementation of a PU occurrence debrief tool and discussion guide and implementation of multiple staff educational strategies and a comprehensive prevention bundle. The PU occurrence debriefing occurred within 24 to 48 hours of a PU. Incidence data were collected annually from 2014 until 2017., Results: Compliance on implementation and documentation of bundle elements ranged from 88% to 94%, and PU/PI incidence decreased by 30% from 2014 to 2016 and by 40% in 2017. The overall PU rate was 0.0057 in 2014, 0.0050 in 2015, 0.0036 in 2016, and 0.0023 in 2017; 65% of all PUs were device-related. Of those, >50% were related to respiratory devices, 25% to peripheral intravenous catheters/central lines, 10% to tracheostomies, and 15% to other devices. Respiratory device-related PUs decreased by 50% in the pediatric intensive care unit, by 80% in the neonatal unit, and eliminated completely in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients., Conclusion: The debriefing process, debriefing tool, educational programs, and prevention bundle reduced the rate of hospital-acquired PIs in pediatric patients and propagated a culture of safety.

Parents of children newly diagnosed with cancer must acquire new knowledge and skills in order to safely care for their child at home. Institutional variation exists in the methods and content used by nurses in providing the initial education. The goal of this project was to develop a checklist, standardized across institutions, to guide nursing education provided to parents of children newly diagnosed with cancer. A team of 21 members (19 nurses and 2 parent advocates) used current hospital educational checklists, expert consensus recommendations, and a series of iterative activities and discussions to develop one standardized checklist. The final checklist specifies primary topics that are essential to teach prior to the initial hospital discharge, secondary topics that should be discussed within the first month after the cancer diagnosis, and tertiary topics that should be discussed prior to completion of therapy. This checklist is designed to guide education and will set the stage for future studies to identify effective teaching strategies that optimize the educational process for parents of children newly diagnosed with cancer.

Objectives: As of July 2013, pediatric resident trainee guidelines in the United States no longer require proficiency in nonneonatal tracheal intubation. We hypothesized that laryngoscopy by pediatric residents has decreased over time, with a more pronounced decrease after this guideline change., Design: Prospective cohort study., Setting: Twenty-five PICUs at various children's hospitals across the United States., Patients: Tracheal intubations performed in PICUs from July 2010 to June 2016 in the multicenter tracheal intubation database (National Emergency Airway Registry for Children)., Intervention: None., Measurements and Main Results: Prospective cohort study in which all primary tracheal intubations occurring in the United States from July 2010 to June 2016 in the multicenter tracheal intubation database (National Emergency Airway Registry for Children) were analyzed. Participating PICU leaders were also asked to describe their local airway management training for residents. Resident participation trends over time, stratified by presence of a Pediatric Critical Care Medicine fellowship and airway training curriculum for residents, were described. A total of 9,203 tracheal intubations from 25 PICUs were reported. Pediatric residents participated in 16% of tracheal intubations as first laryngoscopists: 14% in PICUs with a Pediatric Critical Care Medicine fellowship and 34% in PICUs without one (p < 0.001). Resident participation decreased significantly over time (3.4% per year; p < 0.001). The decrease was significant in ICUs with a Pediatric Critical Care Medicine fellowship (p < 0.001) but not in ICUs without one (p = 0.73). After adjusting for site-level clustering, patient characteristics, and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine fellowship presence, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education guideline change was not associated with lower participation by residents (odds ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.59-1.24; p = 0.43). The downward trend of resident participation was similar regardless of the presence of an airway curriculum for residents., Conclusion: Laryngoscopy by pediatric residents has substantially decreased over time. This downward trend was not associated with the 2013 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education change in residency requirements.

Training pediatric residents in Bright Futures and oral health concepts is critical to improving oral health. This study's objective was to determine the skill level of pediatric residents in integrating oral health promotion during health supervision visits of 12- to 35-month-old children. One hundred forty-three pediatric residents participated in an evaluation of the effectiveness of a Bright Futures oral health curriculum. Competencies assessed preintervention included partnership building, communication, and integration of oral health concepts. Pediatric residents' abilities to integrate oral health promotion into health supervision visits varied considerably. Residents demonstrated greater skill in communication and partnership building compared with oral health promotion behaviors and performance of an oral examination. Further education is needed at a national level if we are to meet Healthy People 2020 goals.

Considerable technological advances, good safety profile, and ease of use have converged to support the use of ultrasound (US) as an important adjunct in the evaluation of superficial soft tissue infections (SSTI) in general and the differential diagnosis of cellulitis and abscess in particular. However, its use in neonatal populations has not been described. Pediatric studies report clinical examination is not always a reliable method of distinguishing cellulitis from abscess. Two (2) case reports are presented to supplement the growing body of published data that describe US imaging of SSTIs. In both cases, the US exam included the affected area as well as contralateral or adjacent normal skin for comparison. Case 1 describes a preterm infant boy who required placement of a peripheral intravenous (PIV) line and subsequently developed warm, painful, erythematous, and indurated skin in the area of the insertion. Point-of-care US (POC-US) was used to diagnose cellulitis, which initiated treatment with intravenous antibiotics. Case 2 involves a 7-year-old boy with multiple comorbidities who developed a PIV extravasation-related injury that subsequently progressed to cellulitis, likely secondary to wound infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Both patients healed completely and without any complications. Because treatment of cellulitis is different from that of abscess, it is important to obtain real-time data supportive of an accurate diagnosis. In these cases, POC-US confirmed the clinical diagnosis of cellulitis and ruled out the presence of an abscess.

Introduction: Physicians in training, including those in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, must develop clinical leadership skills in preparation to lead multidisciplinary teams during their careers. This study seeks to identify multidisciplinary perceptions of leadership skills important for Pediatric Critical Care Medicine fellows to attain prior to fellowship completion., Methods: We performed a multi-institutional survey of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine attendings, fellows, and nurses. Subjects were asked to rate importance of 59 leadership skills, behaviors, and attitudes for Pediatric Critical Care practitioners and to identify whether these skills should be achieved before completing fellowship. Skills with the highest ratings by respondents were deemed essential., Results: Five hundred and eighteen subjects completed the survey. Of 59 items, only one item ("displays honesty and integrity") was considered essential by all respondents. When analyzed by discipline, nurses identified 21 behaviors essential, fellows 3, and attendings 1 (p < 0.05). Nurses differed (p < 0.05) from attendings in their opinion of importance in 64% (38/59) of skills., Conclusions: Despite significant variability among Pediatric Critical Care attendings, fellows, and nurses in identifying which clinical leadership competencies are important for graduating Pediatric Critical Care fellows, they place the highest importance on skills in self-management and self-awareness. Leadership skills identified as most important may guide the development of interventions to improve trainee education and interprofessional care.

Objective: Training residents in oral health helps eliminate disparities and improves access. The American Academy of Pediatrics Bright Futures Guidelines curriculum is used as a training guide. We assessed knowledge, confidence, and perceived barriers to incorporating Bright Futures oral health concepts into well-child care for children below 3 years in a national sample of pediatric residents., Methods: A sample of postgraduate year 1 and 2 residents from CORNET sites completed demographic, Bright Futures oral health concepts confidence and knowledge cross-sectional surveys before any intervention. Measures were tested for reliability using Cronbach's alpha coefficient., Results: One hundred sixty-three residents from 28 CORNET sites completed the surveys. One third reported no prior training in oral health. Time (42%) and knowledge (33%) led the perceived barriers to addressing these concepts in well visits. Although 63% rated their confidence as excellent in identifying tooth decay risk factors, a significant percentage rated their oral health risk assessment skills as poor or neutral (64%) and identifying caries at examination (53%). Only 49% conveyed oral health messages during encounters and 80% correctly scored 75% or higher on knowledge questions., Conclusions: This cross-sectional study shows that residents from a wide geographic range have high self-reported oral health knowledge but low perceived skills and competency in clinical implementation. Lack of time and knowledge in identifying caries led the perceived barriers. Barriers are addressed by implementing oral health curricula that promote competence and skill-development. This study helps programs effectively implement Bright Futures concepts to train graduates to incorporate oral health in well visits., (Copyright © 2015 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Concussions are among the most complex injuries to assess and manage in sports medicine and primary care. Sports concussion in youth has received much attention in recent years because research shows that improperly managed concussion can lead to long-term cognitive deficits and mental health problems. There are several notable risk factors affecting the incidence and severity of concussion in school-age children and adolescents, including a history of a previous concussion. A more conservative approach for return to activities following concussion has been proposed for children and adolescents. Programs of individualized, stepwise increases in physical activity have largely replaced use of algorithms for assigning a grade and activity expectations to concussions. Although validity and reliability testing is ongoing to support use of concussion assessment instruments in pediatric patients, it is practical and appropriate that clinicians incorporate symptom checklists, sideline and balance assessment tools, and neurocognitive assessment instruments into their practice in accordance with evidence-based guidelines.

Purpose: Pediatric surgical education and workforce have changed significantly in the past decade. To document trends in the operative experiences of junior pediatric surgeons, we examined case logs submitted by applicants for membership to APSA., Methods: Case logs for 164 APSA membership applicants from 2006 to 2013 were reviewed. Total case volume, categories, and specific operations were analyzed. Negative binomial regression assessed for significant associations between the number of cases and the application year, presence of a pediatric surgery training program, region of the country, and years since fellowship completion., Results: Overall case numbers decreased initially after 2006/2007, but have remained stable since. Decreasing trends were seen in a number of specific cases/categories. The number of newborn cases did not change. Significant variations in operative experience were identified depending upon region, presence of a pediatric surgery training program, and years since fellowship completion. Median reported value for several important cases was ≤4 per year, and for some was zero., Conclusion: These data describing the experience of young pediatric surgeons supplement recent observations regarding pediatric surgery fellows and general surgery residents. The limited exposure of surgeons to particularly rare conditions appears to be an unresolved problem. This information will be useful in developing future workforce proposals., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Training in Bright Futures and oral health concepts is critical for delivery of high-quality primary care and preventive health services by residents, our future pediatric workforce. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an online health promotion curriculum on pediatric residents' confidence, knowledge, and clinical performance in Bright Futures and oral health practice., Methods: Residents from sites that had been stratified by size and randomized were assigned to the Bright Futures Oral Health curriculum (intervention group) or an active control group. Confidence and knowledge were measured by self-report and multiple-choice questions, respectively. Clinical performance was measured with structured clinical observations, performed by trained faculty, of Bright Futures and oral health performance before and after intervention. Mean scores between intervention and control groups were compared using a 2-tailed, repeated-measures F test., Results: A total of 143 pediatric residents from 27 Continuity Research Network (CORNET) sites participated in the study. At a median of 3 months after intervention, the intervention group demonstrated significant improvement in general Bright Futures confidence (n = 128, F = 6.564, P = .012) and knowledge (n = 102, F = 5.296, P = .023), oral health confidence (n = 123, F = 15.220, P < .001), and clinical performance skills in oral health (n = 96, F = 11.315, P = .001) compared with the control group., Conclusions: The Bright Futures Oral Health curriculum promoted an increase in confidence and knowledge in Bright Futures concepts and in confidence and clinical performance in oral health concepts among pediatric residents. This online curriculum demonstrated a positive impact on documented resident behavior, maintained for 3 months after intervention, and provides a replicable national training model to advance important elements of primary care pediatrics., (Copyright © 2013 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The pediatrician plays a major role in advocating, promoting, and managing breastfeeding, beginning in the prenatal period by providing facts and discussing questions and concerns regarding breastfeeding with the expectant mother and continuing after delivery in the hospital and during infant health supervision visits. The early weeks after birth require education, support, and encouragement. The pediatrician sets the standard that breastfeeding is norm. The pediatrician is in the optimal place to advocate and formulate hospital policies conducive to lactation and the provision of human milk and must be knowledgeable about the breastfeeding support provided by the office and community., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine the frequency of cardiopulmonary resuscitation education using high-fidelity patient simulators during pediatric residency training., Design: Randomized controlled trial., Setting: Suburban tertiary care children's hospital residency training program., Subjects: Twenty-four second year pediatric residents., Interventions: Twenty-four second year pediatric residents were randomized into two study groups, 12 residents in each. Both groups completed a formal resuscitation training course utilizing lectures, skill stations, and six scenarios on high-fidelity patient stimulators. Group A was retested on three scenarios 4 months after training and group B was similarly retested 8 months after training., Measurements and Main Results: Time intervals from induction of a clinical problem to its definitive management were recorded for each resident. Residents were also asked to complete surveys following each episode of training and testing. The mean time intervals, for group A, to start effective bag mask ventilation and chest compressions in response to apnea and cardiac arrest were 17.75 secs (± 3.39 secs) and 23.42 secs (± 9.33 secs), respectively. These were significantly shorter than 32.7 secs (± 18.6 secs) and 81.2 secs (± 74.9 secs), for group B, respectively (p < .05). Residents in group A provided higher survey scores for their level of confidence in using cardiopulmonary resuscitation pharmacology than residents in group B did (p < .05). The two groups were no different in their response time to defibrillate or to start anti-arrhythmia medications for life-threatening arrhythmias and in their endotracheal intubation skills., Conclusions: Pediatric residents show a significantly slower response time to effectively manage episodes of apnea and cardiac arrest 8 months after their initial resuscitation training, when compared to 4 months after training. These results may indicate that residents require more frequent training than currently recommended.

The members of the Society for Pediatric Radiology were surveyed in 1989 about their involvement with newer imaging modalities. Results were compared with those obtained in a similar study performed 10 years earlier. The performance and monitoring of imaging studies increased dramatically, with most respondents now being involved with ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT), and almost one-half involved with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. When equipment became available, pediatric radiologists were quicker to assume control of MR imaging than US and CT. In most large pediatric centers, imaging with all current modalities and of all organ systems has become the responsibility of pediatric radiologists. These findings are in contrast to those obtained in 1979, when pediatric imaging practices primarily consisted of conventional radiography and fluoroscopy.

This study ascertained current pediatric attitudes verses performance in caring for adolescent females in private practices in a suburban area. Sixty-seven randomly selected pediatricians were given a confidential questionnaire; 90% responded. Areas assessed were attitudes and practice about sexual history, breast examination, teaching self-breast examination, and vaginal examination. Comparisons were made between the different age groups and between male and female pediatricians. Ninety-two percent of pediatricians felt it was important to take a sexual history by age 16 years, while only 73% actually did. More female than male pediatricians thought it was important to take a sexual history and actually did so. Seventy-five percent stated that a breast examination should be routine, and most performed the examination. However only 60% taught self-breast examination despite the fact that 93% believed it was important. An internal vaginal examination as part of a routine physical was performed by only 7%. For specific gynecologic problems most asked to see the patient but most did not do an internal examination. The most likely indication for a pelvic examination was a vaginal discharge, but only 28% of the pediatricians would examine their patient for this complaint. Of the pediatricians who do the examination, 41% were not sure they had received the proper training. These data suggest that despite the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendations that pediatricians continue the care of patients until age 21 years, there does not appear to be optimal care provided to female adolescent patients.

Prospective hospital payment systems using the federal Medicare DRG payment model are changing hospital reimbursement. Currently, many states have adopted diagnosis related group (DRG) prospective "all payer systems" using the federal model. All payer systems, whereby Medicaid, Blue Cross, and other commercial insurers pay by the DRG mode, prevent cost shifting between payers. New York state has used an all payer system since Jan 1, 1988. This study simulated DRG all payer methods for a large sample (N = 16,084) of pediatric patients for a three-year period using the New York DRG all payer reimbursement system now in effect. Medicaid pediatric patients had (adjusted for DRG weight index) a longer hospital stay and greater total hospital cost compared with pediatric patients from Blue Cross and other commercial payers. Medicaid pediatric patients also had a greater severity of illness compared with patients from Blue Cross and other payers. Pediatric patients in all payment groups (ie, Medicaid, Blue Cross, and other commercial insurers) generated financial risk under the DRG all payer scheme. Medicaid pediatric patients generated the greatest financial risk, however. These data suggest that state and private payers may be under-reimbursing for the care of the hospitalized pediatric patient using the DRG prospective hospital payment scheme. Health care financing policy for pediatric patients may limit both access and quality of care.

Prevention of atherosclerosis, a major cause of illness and death in our society, is a pediatric responsibility in 1988 and beyond. Significant cardiovascular risk factors are identifiable and alterable in children and adolescents, and are associated with arterial lesions. Cost-effective atherosclerosis prevention can be achieved by identification and treatment of high-risk children and adolescents. The pediatrician should record the family history of all patients at 2 years of age, with periodic updates. The serum cholesterol concentration can then be measured in the office if there is a commitment to quality control; otherwise, a monitored commercial laboratory must be used. It is not unreasonable to measure serum cholesterol concentrations once in all school-age patients. The majority of high-risk patients will respond to nutritional intervention and will not require pharmacotherapy. Until the efficacy and safety of the therapeutic diet are proved beyond doubt, its use should be limited to high-risk patients under pediatric supervision. Studies documenting the growth and development of children receiving dietary therapy must be a major priority of pediatric nutrition. Until that is accomplished, although some pediatricians may prefer to wait, most will use the extensive scientific evidence at hand and their clinical judgment to identify and treat their high-risk patients.