Parent-reported outcomes of comprehensive care for children with medical complexity.

The Medical Home Clinic for Special Needs Children (MHCL) at Arkansas Children's Hospital provides comprehensive care oversight for children with medical complexity (CMC). The objective of this study is to evaluate parent perceptions of health care delivery outcomes after 12 months of enrollment in the MHCL. This is a prospective cohort study of parents of MHCL patients, who completed surveys at initial and 12-month visits.

Individual and practice characteristics associated with physician provision of recommended care for children with special health care needs.

Objective: To examine physician and practice characteristics associated with recommended care practices for children with special health care needs (CSHCN).

Methods: A survey of primary care physicians (PCPs) in Arkansas with a Medicaid caseload of ≥100 children was conducted. Predictor variables included physician specialty field, demographics, practice type, and percentage of patients with public insurance.

Increasing prevalence of medically complex children in US hospitals.

Objective: In this study we used national data to determine changes in the prevalence of hospital admissions for medically complex children over a 15-year period.

Patients And Methods: Data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a component of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, was analyzed in 3-year increments from 1991 to 2005 to determine national trends in rates of hospitalization of children aged 8 days to 4 years with chronic conditions. Discharge diagnoses from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample were grouped into 9 categories of complex chronic conditions (CCCs).