Redesigning Health Care for Children with Disabilities

“A fresh approach to thinking about the care of children with disabilities … helps define a true 21st century approach to inclusion.” –Judith S. Palfrey, MD

Heidi M. Feldman, M.D., Ph.D., is Ballinger-Swindells Professor of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Stanford University and Medical Director for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatric Programs at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, in Palo Alto, California.

Nathan J. Blum, M.D., Co-director, Behavioral Pediatrics Clinic, Medical Director, Center for Complex Medical Management, and Attending Physician, The Children’s Seashore House of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, Division of Child Development, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Dr. Blum received his medical degree from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and completed a residency in pediatrics at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in developmental-behavioral pediatrics at The Children’s Seashore House of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He is Co-director of the Behavioral Pediatrics Clinic for management of common behavior problems in children at Children’s Hospital. In addition to publishing in peer-reviewed journals, Dr. Blum is a co-editor of a textbook of pediatric primary care and is one of the authors of the Ask the Experts feature in Contemporary Pediatrics. His academic interests encompass common behavior problems in children, self-injurious behavior in children with developmental disabilities, and the coordinated management of behavioral, medical, and psychological problems in children with chronic illnesses.

Alexis Hansen, M.D., is currently a family practice resident with a strong interest in the care of individuals with disabilities. As a medical student, she conducted research focused on evaluating a noninvasive manual therapy for children with cerebral palsy and served as teaching assistant in an undergraduate course on developmental disabilities. As a family physician, she plans to work to improve the experience of these populations in the health care system.