Clinical investigators from the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) and Albert Einstein College of Medicine will present findings on a broad range of children’s health topics, ranging from adolescent depression to asthma, at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS). The meeting takes place May 5 – 8 in Toronto, Canada.

 “The diversity of research showcased at PAS reflects how dedicated my colleagues at Montefiore and Einstein are to improving the lives of the children we care for in our hospitals, outpatient practices, schools and community,” said Daphne, Hsu, M.D., interim chair of pediatrics at Montefiore and Einstein and physician-in-chief at CHAM. “I hope their work inspires clinicians around the country and the world to provide children with care that is always based on cutting edge scientific evidence.”

 Some of the research presented by Montefiore Einstein physicians and scientists includes: 

 Project RedDE: Reducing Missed Diagnoses of Depression in Adolescents: A Virtual Quality Improvement Collaborative

Heather O’Donnell, M.D., Sunday, May 6 – 8:30am. Platform presentation – Convention Center 802A

-          Adolescent depression is a common, but often missed condition. Investigators from primary care pediatric practices across the country worked together on a quality improvement effort that has shown a significant reduction in missed diagnoses of adolescent depression.

 Sexting and Teen Boys and Girls: Associations with Sexual Abuse and Violence

Kanani Titchen, M.D., Sunday, May 6 – 12:00pm. Platform presentation - Convention Center 201A-D

-          A study of 555 boys and girls found that one in five boys and one quarter of girls had sent a sext, and that sexting is associated with sexual abuse.

 MEDRITES – Improving the Discharge Medication Process in a Tertiary Care Children’s Hospital

Kaitlyn Philips, DO, Tuesday, May 8 – 11:30am. Platform presentation – Convention Center 701B

-          A quality improvement effort led by CHAM investigators tackled how to standardize the hospital discharge medication process, leading to a 47 percent improvement in parental knowledge and adherence to discharge medications.

 Associations Between Participation in After-School Activities (ASA), Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Severity, and School Functioning Among Children with ADHD

Nicole Brown, M.D., Saturday, May 5 – 1:15pm. Poster #337 – Convention Center Exhibit Hall DE

-          Children with ADHD are at high-risk for poor school attendance and adverse school behaviors. However a study of more than 4,000 children found that participation in after-school activities can lower risk of moderate to severe ADHD and missed school days.

 Associations between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Asthma Severity, and Emergency Room Visits in Children with Asthma

Nicole Brown, M.D., Tuesday, May 8 – 7:30am. Poster #532 - Convention Center Exhibit Hall DE

-          Researchers examined associations between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and parent-reported respiratory difficulties, asthma severity, and emergency room visits in a national sample of 4,030 children with asthma. They found that high ACE scores are associated with increased risk of respiratory difficulties, parent-rated moderate to severe asthma, and emergency room visits in children.

 Determinants of Ambulatory Follow-Up after an Asthma Hospitalization in an Urban Minority Population

Kaitlyn Philips, DO, Tuesday, May 8 – 7:30am. Poster #531 - Convention Center Exhibit Hall DE

-          Asthma is a leading cause of pediatric hospitalizations. To prevent hospitalizations and readmissions, CHAM investigators looked into frequency of outpatient visits, and found that only 2/3 of children hospitalized for asthma attended a 14-day follow-up appointment. They were surprised to find that regular outpatient visits in the year after hospitalization did not reduce the likelihood of future readmission.

 Researchers for each of the above studies, as well as other Montefiore and Einstein faculty, are available to speak with media.

 In addition to research presentations, Montefiore Einstein faculty are leading career development sessions and workshops, including one on Saturday, May 5 on one of the most pressing topics of our time: the role of pediatric providers in improving firearm safety.

 Several Montefiore Einstein faculty will also be receiving awards and recognitions during the meeting:

 -          Kaitlyn Philips, D.O., will receive the Academic Pediatric Association Research Award for Best Abstract by a Fellow for MEDRITES – Improving the Discharge Medication Process in a Tertiary Care Children’s Hospital platform presentation.

-          Anne Fuller, M.D., will receive the Society for Pediatric Research Fellow Clinical Research Award for Top Clinical Abstract for her poster Material Hardships and Health Care Utilization among Low-Income Children with Special Health Care Needs.

Rahil Briggs, Psy.D, Founder of the Pediatric Behavioral Health Integration Program at Montefiore Health System and Associate Professor , Department of Pediatrics & Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Einstein, will receive the Academic Pediatric Association’s Health Care Delivery Award during the APA Membership Meeting.