Using telemedicine in children's primary care to support child health
Official title: Telemedicine Integrated into Pediatric Primary Care & Child Outcomes
Funded at Children's Hosp of Philadelphia · NIH-11176718 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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 start | September 15, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $643,089 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD107153-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11176718 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
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.
✕Less likely to help
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.
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.
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 gone: 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
-
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
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Enhanced primary care telemedicine for kids with lung and airway infections
A pediatric-focused telemedicine program is being studied to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use for common respiratory infections in children.
-
Telemedicine in pediatric primary care to improve child health
A patient-friendly look at how telemedicine is being used in kids’ primary care to support better health outcomes.
-
Video visits to help adults with alcohol use disorder in primary care
This project offers live video therapy through primary care to help adults with alcohol use disorder get and use effective treatments.
-
Using telemedicine to improve pediatric primary care and child health outcomes
This study is looking at how using telemedicine, like video calls, can help kids with common health issues, such as asthma and ADHD, and aims to find the best ways to make these virtual visits just as good as seeing a doctor in person, all while making sure every child gets the care they need.
-
Improving access to treatment for alcohol use disorders through telemedicine.
This study is looking to improve how doctors help people with alcohol use problems by using a telemedicine service that connects them with addiction specialists, making it easier for patients to get the right medications they need.
-
HEARTS hypertension and diabetes care in Guatemala
This grant tests how well the HEARTS primary care model works in Guatemala to improve blood pressure and blood sugar control for patients.
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.