Electronic reminders and autism screening: what this study found

In one sentence

When clinics started using electronic reminders and tracking tools, more families completed developmental and autism screening forms, and the whole process moved faster.

What the researchers did

Researchers studied an early developmental and autism screening program in a large healthcare system in Northern California.

When pediatricians had concerns about a child’s development, families were asked to complete online questionnaires.

Before late 2023, staff mostly tracked cases manually. Later, the health system introduced an electronic dashboard inside the medical records system that:

• showed which step each child was on;
• reminded staff to follow up with families;
• helped clinics keep track of missing forms and responses.

The study included more than 17,000 screening referrals for children between about 6 months and 5.5 years old.

Researchers compared:

• how the system worked before the dashboard;
• and how things changed after it was introduced.

They also looked at factors such as:

• child age;
• family language;
• insurance type;
• and neighborhood disadvantage.

What they found

• After the dashboard was introduced, more families completed the screening forms:

  • before the change, about 41% returned forms on time;
  • after the change, about 55% did.

• Families returned paperwork faster — about 6 days sooner on average.

• Staff completed the full screening and review process about 37 days faster on average.

• Some groups still had more difficulty completing the process, including:

  • families who preferred languages other than English;
  • families with Medicaid insurance;
  • families living in disadvantaged neighborhoods.

• After the dashboard launch, more children were flagged for additional evaluation, though researchers say this finding still needs more study.

What this means for families and therapists

This study suggests that organization and follow-up systems can make a big difference.

Even good screening tools may not work well if:

• families forget forms;
• paperwork gets delayed;
• or clinics do not have clear reminder systems.

When clinics:

• track each step clearly,
• send reminders,
• and help families finish the process,

more children complete screening successfully and more quickly.

For families, this may mean:

• less waiting;
• less confusion;
• and a faster path toward additional support if needed.

If your family has been waiting a long time for screening paperwork or follow-up, it may help to ask:

• whether there is a care coordinator;
• how reminders are handled;
• and who tracks the screening process.

Limitations

It is important to remember:

• this study took place in only one large U.S. healthcare system;
• results may be different in smaller clinics or other countries;
• the study cannot prove that the dashboard alone caused all improvements.

Also:

• even after the new system, only a little more than half of families completed forms on time;
• the study did not examine long-term outcomes like diagnosis or therapy results.

So the study shows improvement in the screening process itself, but not necessarily long-term outcomes for children.

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This is a simplified summary of Electronic reminders and autism screening: what this study found by Davignon M.N., Nugent J.R., Campbell C.I. et al., JAMA Network Open (2026). Source license: CC-BY-NC-ND.

This is not medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional before making medical decisions.