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All Kids Count: We've Come a Long Way!
The final meeting of the All Kids Count Connections community of practice on integration of child health information systems, held in March in Atlanta, was in many ways the "finale" for All Kids Count. But it was far from a sad occasion for the almost 40 participants who have participated in the peer-to-peer learning forum since 2001 as a way to accelerate their progress in integrating child health information systems. As Kris Saarlas, MPH, deputy director of All Kids Count since 1994, noted in a presentation that highlighted the history of All Kids Count, "We've come a long way!"
The Connections community of practice, one of several All Kids Count activities to promote the integration of child health information systems, proved to be instrumental in advancing the 11 Connections members' integration projects. According to an evaluation conducted by an independent consultant, Connections members unanimously reported that they reaped significant and tangible benefits from their participation in Connections. As was anticipated at the outset, the community of practice also advanced the thinking of All Kids Count about child health information systems and methodologies for communities of practice, and it contributed to the knowledge base about systems integration that is available to other state/local health agencies and private health organizations. At the Atlanta meeting, Connections members made plans for continuing to "connect" as a community of practice outside the All Kids Count program. Check the All Kids Count web site, www.allkidscount.org, in May for a summary of the final Connections meeting, including presentations by Connections members, and resources, reports, and tools produced by Connections members and the All Kids Count program staff.
Documented Progress
All Kids Count credits what has become known over the years as "the All Kids Count family" – former grantees, Connections members, staff, partner agencies (HRSA, CDC), and other friends of All Kids Count – with the considerable progress made in integration of child health information systems. That progress will be documented in a supplement to the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice that will be published in November. The supplement will include articles on the importance of integrating child health information systems; case studies from states; perspectives of state health leaders, health informatics experts, and families; a summary of the 12-year All Kids Count program; recommendations from the December 2003 conference on developing child health information systems that meet medical care and public health needs; and future directions for integration of these systems. Supplement editors are Alan Hinman, MD, MPH, principal investigator for All Kids Count; Kristin Saarlas, MPH; and Michele Lloyd-Puryear, MD, PhD, Director of Genetic Services Branch, HRSA.
Legacy Continues
Although the All Kids Count grant from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) ends in May 2004, the program's legacy in child health information systems will be carried on through other activities of the Public Health Informatics Institute, the parent organization of All Kids Count. With support from RWJF, the Institute will be working with partners to develop a collaborative governance structure for child health information systems development. In addition, Institute staff will continue to work with HRSA/MCHB/GSB and other key partner organizations to document the value of integration – including developing indicators to measure progress toward full functionality; developing a policy and business case for integration, and fostering the dissemination of good practices.
For additional information, contact Terry Hastings, thastings@phii.org.