A strategy to improve developmental screening during well baby visits.

There is evidence that the developmental exam is frequently neglected during the well baby exam because of time constraints. We placed a simple, standardized developmental screening instrument on the medical record of children under two years of age and then monitored physician use of the chart for the next 18 months. Developmental screening increased from 15.7% during the 12 months prior to our intervention to 41.9% during the 12 months after our intervention. Use of the screening instrument by faculty appeared to have an important influence on resident physician use of the instrument during the well baby exam.