Strategically prioritizing service requests for mobile dental and vision services

According to Healthy People 2020, early and middle childhood conditions such as asthma, obesity, and dental caries affect the education, health and well-being of the adolescents and adults they will become. Providing medical services using a mobile medical unit increases access to healthcare among under-served children and teens, which positively affects their quality of life. In 2011, a pediatric hospital mobile medical service program provided 25,887 children with services such as free asthma education and treatment, dental cleanings and restorative care, hearing and vision screenings, immunizations and physicals. As service requests from school nurses at area pre-k, primary and secondary schools quadrupled in the past five years, one major challenge faced by this program was prioritizing service requests.

This program prioritized schools based on a ranking metric that takes into consideration the different types of disparities associated with an impoverished inner city and sprawling suburban area. Using indicators such as number of free and reduced lunches, location to nearest health clinic and school accreditation has created an unbiased system of fulfilling service requests. As a result, this program increased their service area coverage, decreased many of the barriers to healthcare access, and increased the number of children who receive preventative screenings and dental treatments.

The objective of this presentation is to list and explain unique indicators useful in prioritizing service requests for vision and dental services. Participants will have an opportunity to apply this metric to other medical programs where services must be requested by community partners.