Judith Cullinane, Maria Lombardi
Floating Hospital for Children - Tufts Medical Center, USA
Title: Pediatric Complex Care: Establishing a “HUB†for High Quality Care
Biography
Biography: Judith Cullinane, Maria Lombardi
Abstract
Children with complex healthcare disorders are a vulnerable patient population and require highly organized care delivery. This patient population often experiences limited or inefficient care that results in high cost healthcare. Complex care programs offer the ability to organize patient care interventions, activities and necessities, helping to improve care delivery and patient outcomes throughout the continuum. The purpose of this presentation is to describe the implementation of a pediatric inpatient complex care team that led to the inception of a pediatric hospital base complex care program at an academic medical center in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The quadruple aim framework and the chronic case model were used in conjunction to develop, implement and establish a pediatric interprofessional complex program using a six phase process over a one-year period of time. Overall impact of the program demonstrated that care coordination reduced the inpatient length of stay by 15% and prevented adverse drug events by early detection of medication reconciliation discrepancies in 73% of the patients. Social services were also consulted earlier in the hospital stay in 68% of the cases assisting in identifying and addressing psycho-socio economic constraints. The innovation led to the establishment of an interprofessional pediatric hospital complex care program using a hub concept inclusive of patients and families. Developing a comprehensive complex care program to better provide effective care coordination is essential to maximize the quality of care, provide the best experience for patients, families and providers, and improve the cost-efficiency of the health care system.