• Project Profiles
  • NICU Feeding Practices
  • Approaches to Public Health Nursing
  • HKN Gap Analysis
  • Evidence Literacy Project
  • Assessing Patient Complexity
  • Early Identification of Autism
  • Measuring Quality Care
  • Young Adults in Long-Term Care
  • Reducing Medication Errors
  • Making Exercise Sticky
  • Stroke Guidelines
  • Driving Change in Mental Health
  • Help for New Mothers
  • Mentoring Makes a Difference
  • Pay-for-Performance
  • Good Care is About People
  • Working Better Together
  • Health Technology Assessment
  • Looking at the Link between Pain and Aggression
  • Reviewing Determinants of Health
  • End of Life Care Decisions in Focus
  • Rural Health Service Delivery
  • Looking at Organizational Problems
  • Integrating Evaluation with Planning
  • Rural Health Needs
  • Suicide Prevention
  • Student Health
  • Hepatitis A Immunity Project
• Participant Profiles
• Knowledge Infostructure
• Celebrating the Legacy

Early Identification of Autism makes a Big Difference

Throughout his career, Mark Moland has seen first-hand the benefits of developmental screening for children. "When you can identify a child with development difficulties early, you can begin intervention at a critical time in brain development, you can connect the family with services and there's more opportunity for better coordination of services. Basically, you can make a significant improvement in long-term outcome."

As Coordinator of a Developmental Screening Program with Alberta Health Services in Lethbridge, Moland was particularly interested in finding screening tools for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The demand for specialized ASD assessment and treatment was growing, and the professionals with expertise in ASD were being stretched to the limit. For his SEARCH VI local project, Moland identified two tools - MCHAT and STAT - that would meet the need for ASD screening of children for whom testing had already indicated a potential developmental concern.

"Mark's project came just at the right time," says Carolyn Irby, Director of Children's C.A.R.E. Services. "His results served as a springboard for discussions around piloting a clinic for ASD diagnosis and follow-up."

The clinic started up in October 2008 and uses the MCHAT tool. As of March 2009, approximately 25 children had been seen as part of the pilot project. Irby credits the significant support of Medical Director, Dr. John Holland, for the speedy implementation of research results.

Irby also credits Moland for keeping his focus squarely on the outcome - a reliable tool that allows the clinic to act as a single point where decisions can be made. Moland admits that maintaining focus was a challenge at times, since he was also doing a Master's degree at Royal Roads University. "Although it was a lot of work, SEARCH actually gave me a really strong foundation for the graduate program. The other key aspect of SEARCH is that it broadened my perspective. Now I have a much better understanding of the healthcare system in general."