Intensive Outpatient Programs for Pediatric Feeding Disorder: A Qualitative Study of Current Challenges and Future Directions.
Navya Baranwal, Abby Hodges, Courtney E Breiner and 4 others
PMID 39347592WHAT IT FOUND
Program leaders report that insurance denials, lack of standardized billing codes, and geographic distance are the primary barriers preventing families from accessing intensive feeding day programs.
Waitlists range from 2 to 24 months.
Key findings
01Insurance coverage issues, including pre-authorization denials and lack of transparency, are the most common financial barrier facing these programs.
02Geographic distance and housing costs prevent many families from attending, with some programs limited to housing only one family at a time.
03Programs face significant delays, with patients waiting between 2 and 24 months for treatment, partly due to seasonal demand and limited capacity.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study only interviewed program leaders, not patients or families, so it misses the direct experience of those receiving care. Only larger, well-known programs were included, meaning smaller or freestanding clinics may have different barriers that were not captured. Inpatient programs were excluded, so the findings apply only to outpatient day programs. Leaders may have been hesitant to admit weaknesses in their own programs, potentially skewing the results toward external barriers like insurance rather than internal issues.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret this as evidence that intensive feeding day programs are ineffective or that the barriers are insurmountable. This study reports the administrative and financial hurdles faced by program leaders, not clinical outcomes for patients.