Quality Improvement Initiatives

Implementing AAP Recommendations at Adolescent and Young Adult Well-Child Visits 

PHN is offering its members a learning collaborative on AAP recommended elements of well-child visits for adolescent and young adult patients, focusing on immunizations, mental health screeners, and Social Determinants of Health screeners. These AAP recommendations have been incentivized under Value-Based Care contracts with multiple payors. 

 This Quality Improvement project will be driven by chart reviews, and providers who treat adolescents in the primary care setting will be eligible for MOC Part 4 credit. We will address office strategies and workflows, as well as coding to ensure compensation. The project will run from March 15, 2022 to November 1, 2022. 

 Why Adolescents?

• This population (11- to 21-year-olds) has the lowest rate of primary care use in the US 
• Face unique barriers to care and have unique health needs 
• Mental health crisis, exacerbated by pandemic (AAP)* 
  • Emergency Department visits for mental health emergencies rose 31% for children ages 12-17 years between March and October 2020*
  • Emergency Department visits for suspected suicide attempts increased nearly 51% among girls ages 12-17 years in early 2021 compared to the same period in 2019*

Project Goals 

• Optimize Patient Care: Improve rates of specified AAP recommendations for Well-Child Visits in Adolescent and Young Adult patients. 
• Documentation and Billing: Develop educational settings to assist practices in effectively documenting and billing for screeners performed. 
• Provider Education: Develop current, evidenced-based training to address health issues commonly encountered in AYA patients. 
• Resources: Develop resources for the practice care team to optimize care for AYA patients. 

For more information, please contact the Quality Improvement team at phn@childrensnational.org. If you would like to submit a project application, click here.