PCPs are families’ trusted resource for incontinence management. The VCP is developing tools to support them.
For most parents, the primary care provider (PCP) is their first stop when they have worries about their child’s incontinence or toileting.1 PCPs may feel confident in their diagnosis and treatment plan, but struggle to convey that information to parents, or to secure their buy-in or carry-over. Alternatively, a provider may feel comfortable treating most cases of incontinence, but struggle with the “tricky” cases, or those requiring second-line treatment. These resources are designed to decrease provider burden and time to symptom resolution, and to improve parent-provider communication and parent carryover.
The Toolkit for Primary Care Providers in the Management of Pediatric Incontinence & Functional Constipation will offer PCPs the knowledge and resources to support effective psychoeducation and robust evidence-based medicine. January through March, 2026, we will pilot a first edition of the toolkit to PCPs who work with Vermont children and youth.
This video briefly describes the VCP, the purpose of the toolkit, and the toolkit and pilot. (9:37)
If you’d prefer to jump to the explanation of the purpose of the toolkit, follow this link (8:39): https://youtu.be/wcUkTkdqxa4?si=pPXCK6zPrxq_5hqk&t=58
If you’d like to jump right to the description of the toolkit and our pilot, follow this link (4:33): https://youtu.be/wcUkTkdqxa4?si=eKfD70jB3kdFkVQW&t=305
Interested?
Please sign up here. This is only express interest, and is not a commitment to participate.
Register Here to Learn More About the Toolkit
FAQs
What are the benefits of participating in the pilot?
Pilot participants will have access to the toolkit months before its release. Participants will have dedicated time available from the Vermont Continence Project’s team for consultative support, whether on the application of content from the toolkit, or on a specific question related to a patient.
What is the commitment involved in joining the pilot?
All Vermont Continence Project team members are clinicians ourselves, and we are sensitive to the many demands placed on providers. We intend the toolkit to be a time-saving measure, and are will keep all commitments as simple and streamlined as possible.
Participants will…
Before
…Watch a 20-30 minute introductory video detailing the theory, research, and philosophy of the toolkit materials, and guidance on the use of the toolkit.
…Complete a subjective self-evaluation of their skills and knowledge related to incontinence management.
During
…Access all toolkit content from a web-based platform each time. This will enable us to track how frequently different resources are accessed.
…Inform parents — when feasible — that they are using a new resource and encourage them to provide feedback on the materials (via shortcodes or QR codes).
…Complete a short questionnaire about their perception of the value and ease of use of the toolkit at the mid-point of the pilot.
After
…Repeat the self-evaluation.
…Offer final feedback on the materials via a questionnaire.
Who can participate in the pilot?
Anyone who provides primary care to Vermont children and youth is welcome to join. This includes family physicians, nurse practitioners, pediatricians, and naturopathic physicians. Providers from border regions of Massachusetts, New York, and New Hampshire who serve Vermont children are also invited.
I’m a specialist/subspecialist. Can I join the pilot?
We are looking for specialty providers in gastroenterology, urology, nephrology, as well as pelvic health, dietetics, mental health, and disability/inclusion to act as readers and advisors. If this describes you, please complete the registration form, and a member of our team will reach out to you. If you are not in one of those specialties, but are still interested in participating or supporting our work, indicate that on the registration form.
Will this pilot expose any of my patients’ health information or other identifiers?
No. You will not enter any information about your patients, and we will not have access to any of their information. Patient feedback will be entirely anonymous to us, and will ask only about their satisfaction with the materials themselves.
- Thompson AP, MacDonald SE, Wine E, Scott SD. Understanding Parents’ Experiences When Caring for a Child With Functional Constipation: Interpretive Description Study. JMIR Pediatr Parent. 2021;4(1):e24851. Published 2021 Jan 20. doi:10.2196/24851 ↩︎
