Uptake of the New Fee Code for Ontario’s Enhanced 18-Month Well Baby Visit: A Preliminary Evaluation

The 18-month well baby visit is a critical point at which to assess developmental progress. In conjunction with the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, new fee codes were introduced in October 2009 as an incentive for conducting enhanced well baby visits. This report is a preliminary evaluation of the uptake of this visit. It describes the patterns of use of the new fee code over its first 14 months by Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), provider type and the socioeconomic status of eligible children.