Reconsidering Screening in Primary Care Screenings are an important part of preventive care, but the growing list of recommendations is daunting. How do we prioritize the limited time we have with patients and families? Written by Jeb Phillips
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here are 32 well-child primary care visits recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics in its Bright Futures “Periodicity Schedule.” The first is prenatal, the last happens at 21 years old. During these brief visits, pediatricians need to address a family’s concerns, provide counseling, and, depending on the visit, screen for many different conditions, such as visual impairment, obesity, hypertension, elevated lipid levels, or depression.
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the only independent pediatrician in rural Jackson County, Ohio, and someone who is well known for her commitment to her patients. “I’m doing the best that I can, but I’m the nurse and the doctor. Including me, there are two full-time people in my office. How am I supposed to find the time to do all of this if there are six kids in my waiting room with ear infections?”
The number of evidence-based screenings can be daunting to consider and feel impossible to complete.
It’s a common concern among primary care providers, and it’s often paired with this one: “If a child does screen positive for a condition, how can I connect them to the services they need?”
“I feel guilty when I look at this list,” says Jill Neff, DO,
There are no easy answers, but over the last several
PediatricsNationwide.org | Fall/Winter 2021
