Increasing Access to Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnostic Consultation in Rural and Underserved Communities: Streamlined Evaluation Within Primary Care.

The sample was small and selected systematically: 80 children, with 20 before and 20 after in each referral group. There was no randomised control group, so other changes at the clinics could have affected wait times. The study did not collect family characteristics or data on whether families accessed intervention services. It did not report participant-level clinical data or factors that led to referral for further testing. The STAT is a level 2 screening tool, so inaccurate identification remains possible. The study did not address wait times for children older than 4. Financial and billing data were not reported. The model was tested in one integrated primary care network, so it may not transfer to other systems.

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The article is supported by NIH extramural and non-U.S. government research support.

Do not conclude that the streamlined model proved families reached intervention services sooner or that the STAT alone made the diagnosis. The study measured time to diagnostic decision, and children with unclear results were referred for more comprehensive testing.