The Financial Impact of a Hospital-Based Care Coordination Program for Children With Special Health Care Needs

Implementing a social work care coordination model for children and youth with special health care needs in a rural-urban health system

This retrospective chart review examined care coordination among pediatric patients with varying levels of medical complexity who received care in a rural-urban health system. Care coordination utilization across patient acuity levels was examined for meaningful differences in frequency and duration of care coordination services. Results indicated that patients with more severe medical complexity had increased frequency and duration of care coordination services, as well as different patterns of care coordination activity utilization. This model of pediatric outpatient care coordination provides a flexible and highly targeted approach for stratification of care and services based on the needs of the individual patient.

Hospital-to-home transitions for children with medical complexity: part 1, a systematic review of reported outcomes

Outcome selection to evaluate interventions to support a successful transition from hospital to home of children with medical complexity (CMC) may be difficult due to the variety in available outcomes. To support researchers in outcome selection, this systematic review aimed to summarize and categorize outcomes currently reported in publications evaluating the effectiveness of hospital-to-home transitional care interventions for CMC. We searched the following databases: Medline, Embase, Cochrane library, CINAHL, PsychInfo, and Web of Science for studies published between 1 January 2010 and 15 March 2023. Two reviewers independently screened the articles and extracted the data with a focus on the outcomes. Our research group extensively discussed the outcome list to identify those with similar definitions, wording or meaning. Consensus meetings were organized to discuss disagreements, and to summarize and categorize the data. We identified 50 studies that reported in total 172 outcomes. Consensus was reached on 25 unique outcomes that were assigned to six outcome domains: mortality and survival, physical health, life impact (the impact on functioning, quality of life, delivery of care and personal circumstances), resource use, adverse events, and others. Most frequently studied outcomes reflected life impact and resource use. Apart from the heterogeneity in outcomes, we also found heterogeneity in designs, data sources, and measurement tools used to evaluate the outcomes.     Conclusion: This systematic review provides a categorized overview of outcomes that may be used to evaluate interventions to improve hospital-to-home transition for CMC. The results can be used in the development of a core outcome set transitional care for CMC.

Research Review: Integrated healthcare for children and young people in secondary/tertiary care - a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Children and young people (CYP) with comorbid physical and/or mental health conditions often struggle to receive a timely diagnosis, access specialist mental health care, and more likely to report unmet healthcare needs. Integrated healthcare is an increasingly explored model to support timely access, quality of care and better outcomes for CYP with comorbid conditions. Yet, studies evaluating the effectiveness of integrated care for paediatric populations are scarce.

AIM AND METHODS

This systematic review synthesises and evaluates the evidence for effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of integrated care for CYP in secondary and tertiary healthcare settings. Studies were identified through systematic searches of electronic databases: Medline, Embase, PsychINFO, Child Development and Adolescent Studies, ERIC, ASSIA and British Education Index.

FINDINGS

A total of 77 papers describing 67 unique studies met inclusion criteria. The findings suggest that integrated care models, particularly system of care and care coordination, improve access and user experience of care. The results on improving clinical outcomes and acute resource utilisation are mixed, largely due to the heterogeneity of studied interventions and outcome measures used. No definitive conclusion can be drawn on cost-effectiveness since studies focused mainly on costs of service delivery. The majority of studies were rated as weak by the quality appraisal tool used.

CONCLUSIONS

The evidence of on clinical effectiveness of integrated healthcare models for paediatric populations is limited and of moderate quality. Available evidence is tentatively encouraging, particularly in regard to access and user experience of care. Given the lack of specificity by medical groups, however, the precise model of integration should be undertaken on a best-practice basis taking the specific parameters and contexts of the health and care environment into account. Agreed practical definitions of integrated care and associated key terms, and cost-effectiveness evaluations are a priority for future research.

A scoping review to inform care coordination strategies for youth with traumatic brain injuries: Care coordination personnel

Introduction & Importance:

Effective, patient-centered care coordination has been shown to improve outcomes for children with special healthcare needs (CSHCN), who often have complex, long-term involvement with multiple service providers. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in long-term physical, intellectual, social, and emotional disabilities that persist long after acute treatment. Yet, even though it is a chronic condition, TBI remains an area with scarce standardization and research surrounding the complex, long-term care coordination need in this population. The purpose of this scoping review is to summarize current research on outcomes in CSHCN after implementation of care coordinators, whether individual or teams, to inform future research for youth with TBI.

Methods:

OVID/Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and ERIC databases were searched for articles relevant to care coordination and CSHCN.

Results:

31 articles met inclusion criteria. Outcomes for children and families were grouped into 5 major categories: healthcare utilization, cost of care, disease status, parent and child quality of life, and healthcare satisfaction and perception of care.

Discussion:

Implementation of care coordinators, whether in the form of individuals, dyads, or teams, resulted in overall positive outcomes for CSHCN and their families across all 5 major outcome domains. Future research should be focused on the efficacy of care coordinators differing in profession, qualifications, and educational attainment specifically for the unique needs of children with TBI. Additionally, the application of care coordination within medical homes should be further investigated to increase proactive, preventative care of children with TBI and further reduce reactive, need-based treatment only.

Care Coordination for Children with Special Healthcare Needs Anticipating Transition: A Program Evaluation

PURPOSE

Nearly 20% of U.S. children have special healthcare needs (CSHCN). Difficulties experienced with navigating the array of services for these children has highlighted the value of care coordination to improve care, reduce costs and increase satisfaction. This study evaluated the services delivered within a care coordination program at a transition consultation center for CSHCN. It also compared the advancement of youth by age group toward graduation criteria.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Using a program evaluation method, data were collected via a retrospective chart review. The convenience sample included clinical records from 100 patients aged 11-22 who had a chronic disease or disability.

RESULTS

The comparison of services for those with diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome were uniformly high in supporting primary care and health care financing. Medicaid waiver assistance was provided more frequently to younger adolescents while older adolescents more commonly received support in all other graduation criteria, including primary and specialty care, healthcare financing and decision-making supports.

CONCLUSIONS

Youth served in a transition care coordination program receive a high volume and broad array of services. There are some variations in the types of services by diagnosis and level of support need. Older youth show greater advancement toward graduation criteria.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

This in-depth chart review provides a valuable description of the activities of care coordinators serving CSHCN enduring transition. It enables development of targeted strategies for building care coordination programming and sets an example for the design of future research studies on this topic.

Pediatric Tracheostomy Outcomes After Development of a Multidisciplinary Airway Team: A Quality Improvement Initiative

Objectives

To analyze a multidisciplinary tracheostomy team's effect on length of stay and cost.

Methods

An airway management program using a balanced scorecard was created to track key performance measures. Interventions included weekly rounding, standardized placement, postoperative care, and caregiver education. Process measures included time to first education, speech-language pathology consultation rates, and pretracheostomy consultations. Outcome measures focused on the total length of stay, 30-day revisit rates after discharge, accidental decannulation rate, and standardized cost. Regression analysis was used to predict the program's effect on length of stay and total cost.

Results

In total, 239 children met inclusion. The mean time to first education class was reduced from 13.7 to 1.9 days (P < .001). The speech-language pathology consultation rate increased from 68% to 95% (P < .001), and the presurgical consultation rate with the tracheostomy team increased from 14% to 93% (P < .001). The length of stay decreased from 133 to 96 days (P = .006). Total costs were lower for short admissions but higher for prolonged admissions. Revisits within 30 days remained stable over time (18%).

Discussion

Establishing a multidisciplinary tracheostomy team results in improvements in quality metrics when caring for children with tracheostomies. Controlling for associated factors showed the mean length of stay decreased significantly in the first full year of program implementation. Cost analysis estimated significant reductions for tracheostomy patients spending less time in the hospital.

Implications for Practice

A airway management program can positively affect tracheostomy processes and outcomes.

Integrating Nurse Care Managers in the Medical Home of Children with Special Health Care needs to Improve their Care Coordination and Impact Health Care Utilization

PURPOSE

There is a rising number of children with special health care needs (CSHCN) in the pediatric medical home and their care coordination is complicated and challenging. We aimed to integrate nurse care managers to coordinate care for such patients, and then evaluate, if this improved health care utilization.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This quality improvement project evaluated the impact on CSHCN of the integration of nurse care managers in the pediatric medical home. From October 2015 through February 2019, 673 children received longitudinal care coordination support from a care manager. Health care utilization for primary, subspecialty, emergency department (ED) and inpatient care was reviewed using pre and post design.

RESULTS

Three medical home-based nurse care managers were integrated into four pediatric hospital affiliated practices in a large, urban center. The number of ED visits and inpatient admissions were statistically significantly decreased post-intervention (p < 0.05).There was also a decrease in the number of subspecialty visits, but it was close to the threshold of significance (p = 0.054). There was no impact noted on primary care visits.

CONCLUSION

This quality improvement project demonstrates that nurse care managers who are integrated into the medical home of CSHCN can potentially decrease the utilization of ED visits and hospital admissions as well as subspecialty visits.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Nurse care managers can play a pivotal role in medical home redesign for the care of CSHCN.

Identifying Caregiver Needs for Children With a Tracheostomy Living at Home

This study sought to understand caregiver needs of children with tracheostomies (CWT) living at home and inform development of standardized tracheostomy simulation training curricula. Long-term goals are decreasing hospital readmissions following tracheostomy placement and improving family experiences while implementing a medical home model. We recruited caregivers of CWT and conducted semistructured interviews, subsequently recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for emerging themes using NVivo. Demographic data were collected via quantitative surveys. Twenty-seven caregivers participated. Emerging themes included the following: (1) caregivers felt overwhelmed, sad, frightened when learning need for tracheostomy; (2) training described as adequate, but individualized training desired; (3) families felt prepared to go home, but transition was difficult; (4) home nursing care fraught with difficulty and yet essential for families of CWT. Families of CWT have specific needs related to discharge training, resources, support, and home nursing. Provider understanding of caregiver needs is essential for child well-being, patient-/family-centered care, and may improve health outcomes.

Educational demands of family members of children with special health care needs in the transition from hospital to home

OBJECTIVES

to analyze the educational demands of family members of children with special health care needs in the transition from hospital to home Methods: qualitative research conducted between February and June 2018, using the handbook on creativity and sensitivity dynamics, from the sensitive creative method; the participants were nine family caregivers of children admitted to a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro; the data were subjected to French discourse analysis Results: the educational demands were clinical, centered on the categories complex and continuous care, technological care, modified habits, medication, development and mixed care, and social, related to the supplies and rights of children Final Considerations: the social educational demand has emerged as a new demand to be incorporated in the care of these children. The transition from hospital to home should be progressive and have the nurse as its coordinator, with the objective of providing participatory, safe, quality care, articulated within a social network.

Care coordination for children with medical complexity

Children with medical complexity have complex health management and care coordination needs. Care models that address these needs rely on interprofessional teams that include NPs. Understanding these care models allows NPs from all disciplines to support the care of this growing patient population in pediatric and adult settings.