Automated CDS process improves autism screening rate

An autism module added to an EHR's clinical decision support system improved screening rates for autism spectrum disorders and helped identify problems at a younger age, according to a study published in Infants and Young Children.

Researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Regenstrief Institute used an open-source Child Health Improvement through Computer Automation system (CHICA) to personalize and automate the autism screening process. At the 24-month pediatric visit, the CHICA produces a screening instrument that is automatically scored. If concerns are raised, an alert is sent out so the physician can investigate further.

Seventy percent of the users in the study agreed that the automation of screening helped them adhere to recommended screening guidelines. Nationwide, children typically aren't screened for autism until they're 4 to 5 years old.

"What's important here is that CHICA will help pediatricians identify autism earlier when treatment is more likely to be effective," Stephen M. Downs, director of Children's Health Services Research at the IU School of Medicine, said in a statement. "Because physicians are busy juggling guidelines for preventive care and need to address concerns brought up by parents during the child's visit--concerns which can supplant routine care--CHICA helps them also address important screening and prevention."

CHICA was developed as an extension of the Regenstrief Medical Records System, a computer-based inpatient and outpatient information system that contains more than 40 years of patient data and hundreds of millions of patient observations.