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General Academic Pediatrics
Clinical Services
The Children’s Hospital (TCH) and UCDSOM Department of Pediatrics have had a long-term commitment to integrating primary care for low-income children with the academic missions of training and clinical research. Currently there are two primary care clinics at TCH: the Child Health Clinic (CHC) and the Special Care Clinic.
Clinical Services and Programs
The CHC delivers longitudinal, comprehensive primary care for underserved children. Currently, we are seeing 19,000 visits per year; however, due to space and staff limitations, we have implemented restrictions on accepting new children into the practice. Many of our patients have chronic illness such as asthma, seizures, behavioral problems (ADHD, depression, learning difficulties, language delay), so that they have a high level of medical need. We are now only accepting newborns who were delivered at University Hospital as well as siblings of existing patients, or patients of TCH subspecialists who request that we provide primary care in order to better coordinate care. The clinic receives approximately 10 requests a day to enroll children in CHC who cannot be accommodated. The overwhelming majority of the children have public insurance: 68% have Medicaid, 9% SCHIP (Child Health Plan), 14% commercial insurance, and 6% are uninsured. The CHC has an integrated mental and behavioral health program that provides on-site evaluation and therapy, screening for postpartum depression, and “Ages and Stages” formalized developmental screening and referrals, as well as an asthma quality care initiative, all of which also instruct our trainees in better health care practices. The CHC is the major primary care training site for the Department. The faculty trains 42 residents during their weekly continuity clinic site for group practice, 36 pediatric residents, 24 family medicine residents, and 24 physician assistant students in monthly general ambulatory care rotations per year. In the mornings, the clinic is staffed with three faculty, while the afternoons require five faculty to cover the additional patients seen in group practice.
Special CHC Programs
The Reach Out and Read program allows clinicians the opportunity to supply books to parents of children aged six months to five years in order to encourage the development of reading. Volunteers read to children in busy afternoon waiting rooms in order to model the enjoyment and importance of early reading.
The Bright Beginnings program makes available early childhood educational and family support materials such as the “Learningames” book and “My First Picture Book,” which are given to parents of clinic patients. These materials encourage parents to take an active and positive approach to teaching their children.
The Special Care Clinic offers comprehensive primary and consultative care to children with special health care needs, including children with developmental disabilities, genetic disorders, chronic medical problems, and prematurity. The clinic is staffed by six physicians who are specialists in pediatrics (with subspecialty training in a variety of fields, including genetics, neurodevelopmental disabilities, developmental-behavioral pediatrics, and neonatology), as well as three experienced pediatric nurse practitioners. It has a child psychiatrist experienced in caring for children with dual diagnoses (cognitive disabilities plus psychiatric issues). Three pediatric residents have their continuity clinic experience in Special Care Clinic. The clinic has the support of nutrition and respiratory therapy at all clinic sessions and has therapists available to assess children during some clinic sessions. It is supported by four nurses, a social worker, an administrative assistant, and a full-time scheduler. As well as providing primary care to children with special needs who live in the Denver and Aurora metropolitan areas, it also provides consultative care and schedules complex coordinated appointments to multiple other specialists within TCH for patients who travel from many of the surrounding states and rural areas of Colorado.
Additional consultative services, teaching programs and multidisciplinary clinics:
The Epidermolysis Bullosa Clinic, a multidisciplinary clinic held monthly, provides for evaluation and care coordination by General Pediatrics, Hand Surgery, Gastroenterology, Anesthesiology, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Pain Management Specialists and Psychology, Nutrition, and Social Work Services.
The General Pediatric Consultation Service provides consultation to Colorado and Wyoming pediatricians and family physicians for pediatric diagnostic dilemmas, failure-to-thrive, recurrent otitis media, and difficult behavioral problems.
The International Adoption Clinic is a consultation service for children in the Rocky Mountain Region adopted from abroad. The clinic offers comprehensive medical evaluations of children, with a focus on infectious diseases, growth and development, and psychological issues particular to international adoptees. The clinic also provides pre-adoption consultations.
The Foster Care Clinic delivers primary care, acute care, and consultations for children who live in foster or kinship care. Outpatient visits are provided for children aged birth through 18 years, with a focus on identifying all of the child’s physical, behavioral and developmental needs. Additionally, a central site is created for the child’s immunizations and available medical records.
The Warren Village Medical Student Clinic gives well-child and minor illness care to children of single mothers living in Warren Village, with the help of the Section’s administrative and volunteer support. Warren Village supports women by providing temporary housing, parenting classes, child care, and work preparation programs.
The Cleft Lip/Cleft Palate Clinic offers comprehensive services to children with this common birth anomaly and is served by the Section’s faculty who are part of a multidisciplinary professional team.
The University of Colorado President’s Leadership Class Mentorship Program mentors undergraduate college students interested in medicine as a career. Students receive a diverse exposure to the medical field, including clinical, research, administrative, and advocacy experiences.
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