The myADHDportal.com Improvement Program: An innovative quality improvement intervention for improving the quality of ADHD care among community-based pediatricians

Clin Pract Pediatr Psychol. 2013 Mar 1;1(1):55-67. doi: 10.1037/cpp0000004.

Abstract

Though the American Academy of Pediatrics has developed and disseminated clear evidence-based guidelines for ADHD care, community-based pediatricians often have difficulty implementing these guidelines. New strategies are needed to improve the quality of care received by children with ADHD and to improve utilization of the AAP consensus guidelines by pediatricians. An evidence-based quality improvement intervention has been developed that effectively improves the quality of ADHD care delivered by community-based pediatricians. In order to facilitative widespread dissemination of this intervention model, the entire intervention has been modified for online delivery. The intervention is called the myADHDportal.com Improvement Program. The full functionality of this online intervention is described including the collection of online ADHD rating scales from parents and teachers and online communication between parents, teachers, and physicians. In addition, the web portal integrates several innovative quality improvement features including an online wizard for mapping ADHD patient flow, an online report card for monitoring quality of care, and an online wizard for guiding practices through the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle process. The combination of clinical utility and quality improvement tools facilitates delivery of quality ADHD care and reduces several of the obstacles to implementing AAP-recommended practice behaviors. Initial results with this intervention model are reviewed and goals for dissemination are described.

Keywords: ADHD; guidelines; internet; quality improvement.