Evaluation of the use of electronic growth charts customized for race and national values

Background: As compared with traditional paper-based charts, population-specific Saudi Growth Charts (SGC) integrated into electronic health records offer several functionalities. However, few studies have explored clinicians' perceptions and practices related to the recording of growth parameters as they adapt to the electronic methods. Objective: The objective of this study is to estimate clinicians' use of the recently adapted electronic SGC versus other known electronic international growth charts. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was performed on 116 pediatricians serving at the university medical center. An online questionnaire that included the types of growth charts used, clinicians' confidence level with the electronic interface, and documentation practices for children's growth parameters was uploaded using the SurveyMonkey® platform, and participants were invited to participate through an e-mailed link. Data were analyzed using the IBM software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 22.0. (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) for Windows®. Results: Most of the pediatricians (76.7%) reported using electronic-based growth charts in preference to paper-based charts, whereas 17.3% preferred using both. Seventy-five percent agreed that the SGC can accurately diagnose underweight Saudi infants and children, as compared with 56% for the World Health Organization and 44% for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts. Height, weight (body mass index), and nutritional status were the most documented parameters. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed physicians with longer experience in pediatric clinical practice years demonstrated lesser documentation of growth parameters. In addition, physicians caring for more number of children per week were more likely to frequently document growth parameters (P = 0.003). Conclusion: The integration and implementation of the electronic version of SGC have been encouraging, and the SGC shows promising results in recording child growth parameters for Saudi children with minimum discrepancies in interpretation as compared to the other international growth charts.