Khlood F. Salman, Dr PH, Preventive Health Department, Gateway Health Plan, US Steel Tower, 600 Grant street, Floor 41, Pittsburgh, PA PA/15219, Vanuatu, 412-255-4192, ksalman@gatewayhealthplan.com and Janet Catov, MPH, Director of Preventive Health Department and Disease Management, Gateway Health Plan, US Steel Tower, 600 Grant street, Floor 41, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Well-child visits are critical to ensure the health of young children enrolled in Medicaid. Gateway Health Plan one of the largest Medicaid managed care organizations in the state of Pennsylvania has over 100,000 members under age 21. A Child Health Month (CHM) Campaign was initiated as one innovative approach to promote member, provider and community awareness about the importance of well care visits and check ups. Gateway has implemented the CHM campaign since April 1999. The initial objective of the campaign was to increase the immunization rate among children under age 2 and to increase awareness of the importance of immunizations. The focus of the campaign was broadened in 2000 to include the promotion of well care visits, EPSDT screenings and immunizations. A toolkit was developed in 2002 to provide materials and resources for clinicians and their patients to promote preventive care. These toolkits were distributed to all GHP providers who render health services to members under age 21.

Results: There has been a significant improvement in the overall EPSDT rate since 2000. The age-appropriate screening rate has increased from 57.8% in 2000 to 65.6% in 2001, and to 71.4% in 2002. Immunizations are an important component of these well child visits. Adolescent immunization rates increased from 34.5% in 1999 to 63.8% in 2002. A noticeable improvement was also reported in the overall childhood immunization from 68.9% in 1999 to 72.8% in 2002.

Conclusion: Implementing a CHM campaign contributed consistently to the improvement of well child visits and immunization rates among Medicaid health plan.

Learning Objectives:

• To ensure timely preventive care for children enrolled in Medicaid managed care plan, and to increase awarness regarding the importance of well child visits or EPSDT.

Keywords: Immunizations, Child Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.