“CHADIS is the
best example of what the future of pediatrics should
look like.”
Dr. Neal Halfon, Professor,
UCLA, invited address: “The Future of General Pediatrics” at
National Pediatric Academic Societies, May, 2006
History
Upon joining the Johns Hopkins faculty in 1996, Dr. Sturner and Dr. Howard
sought to establish a laboratory in which to create a model for a more
comprehensive pediatrics practice of the future, incorporating state of
the art knowledge regarding child and family development. The Center for
Promotion of Child Development through Primary Care was conceived of, in
part, as an arena to explore means of implementing advances into a typical
pediatric practice, with a main mechanism being the use of a comprehensive
electronic system (the Child Health and Development Interactive System,
or CHADIS). The Center was also established in order to explore the potential
for reconceptualizing the "routine physical exam" as a psychological
test (see microanalytic laboratory).
The laboratory space for the Center is at a new pediatric practice associated
with Franklin Square Hospital. For laboratory studies, families comprise
a convenience sample of the practice, including a wide spectrum of demographics
(40% having Medicaid insurance). Health supervision visits are conducted
using a protocol that highlights strengths of the child and family as well
as current challenges.
Dr. Howard continues to be PI on a Collaborative Office Rounds (COR) training
grant from MCHB, which allows us to provide CME to community pediatricians
and Hopkins residents through monthly and quarterly case discussion sessions,
some in conjunction with Dr. Lawrence Wissow, a child psychiatrist on the
faculty at Johns Hopkins. The Center continues to bring together trainees
and faculty from a wide variety of disciplines. In addition to the Developmental-Behavioral
fellowship program that concluded in 2003, other trainees who have completed
electives and internships at the center include practicing pediatricians,
medical students, and graduate students in developmental psychology, clinical
psychology, applied developmental psychology, counseling psychology, and
public health. The Center is serves as a focal point for collaboration
in child development related projects using the health supervision visit
as the paradigm for study and for potential universal application.
In 2000, the Center was formally established as an independent non-profit
organization. Funding has been obtained through multiple sources.
We have subsequently established a for-profit subsidiary of the Center
called Total Child Health, Inc. (TCH). The establishment of TCH positioned
us to compete for and receive a Small Business Initiated Research (SBIR)
award from NICHD. TCH continues to oversee the sales of CHADIS and other
aspects of Center business.