Using telemedicine in children's primary care to support child health
Telemedicine Integrated into Pediatric Primary Care & Child Outcomes
This project looks at whether video and other telemedicine visits in primary care help children get better, more consistent care for common illnesses and chronic conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Hosp of Philadelphia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11176718 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will examine visit records and clinical data from pediatric primary care practices from 2018–2025 to compare telemedicine (video/phone) visits with in-person visits for common acute problems and chronic conditions such as asthma and ADHD. They will measure the quality of care delivered at each visit, including treatment choices like antibiotic prescribing, and follow children over time to track health and healthcare use. The team will also study how clinics organize telemedicine—staffing, technology, and workflows—to identify practical approaches that improve care. Results will be translated into actionable strategies primary care practices can use to make telemedicine work better for children.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children seen in participating pediatric primary care practices—particularly infants through about 11 years old—who have had or might have telemedicine or in-person visits for common respiratory illnesses or chronic conditions like asthma or ADHD.
Not a fit: Children who do not receive care at participating primary care practices, who are outside the age range, or whose conditions are unrelated to common pediatric acute respiratory or chronic care needs may not benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help pediatricians deliver safer, more effective telemedicine visits and improve short- and long-term health for children.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work showed mixed results: some research settings reported improved chronic-condition management with telemedicine while commercial direct-to-consumer telemedicine showed quality gaps, so this project builds on but goes beyond prior findings.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- Children's Hosp of Philadelphia — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fiks, Alexander Gabriel — Children's Hosp of Philadelphia
- Study coordinator: Fiks, Alexander Gabriel
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.