A study that focuses on healthcare information technology and its effect on children's health has found that children have unique needs that aren't taken into account as the pace of technology accelerates.

"Children have many unique needs to be considered in developing technology-enabled innovations for improving their health," the report states. "Children have different health needs, are often served by different caregivers and in different care settings, and in some cases require HIT with different functionality than adults."

"Technology-Enabled Innovations for Improving Children's Health" is a joint project of the Health Technology Center and The Children's Partnership, two California-based nonprofit research organizations.

While there is broad recognition that information and communications technology (ICT) would help improve care and the pace of adoption is accelerating, there has been little focus on the use of ICT to improve healthcare for and the health of America's 73 million children, the authors of the report note.

By ignoring the unique requirements of children, technologies that offer promise to improve children's health are being underused, according to the study, and underserved children who stand to gain the most from these new advances are least likely to receive their benefits. Also, electronic tools developed primarily for adult populations lack the functionality necessary to support pediatric care, and the pediatric health system is not optimizing long-term health and financial returns on investments in ICT.

As California develops its ICT infrastructure as well as strategies for implementing the HIT/HIE provisions of the ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act), the study listed recommendations that state policy leaders could take to ensure that these efforts support the state's health system, which serves some 10 million children.

1. Develop a comprehensive strategic plan that specifically contemplates children's needs.
2. Prioritize ICT solutions of particular, though not exclusive, relevance to children.
3. Clarify standards for information-sharing and privacy protection for children and families.
4. Consider complementary policy changes.

"It is important to note that while these recommendations highlight the particular benefits for children, many of these policies would also benefit other populations, particularly those that are underserved," the report noted.

For the study, The Health Technology Center (HealthTech) and The Children's Partnership (TCP) conducted a literature review and interviewed approximately 115 experts on the major health challenges for children, health policy and healthcare delivery system changes that would support better child health outcomes.