Engaging with families is vital to transforming the health care system and positively impacting the life course of vulnerable populations. Families have extensive experience in partnering with professionals to improve systems of care, are organized and connected across the country, and stand ready to assist at every level of next efforts for improvement. Learn how to meaningfully involve families at every level of health care systems and engage them as critical partners in designing policies that will improve care for all children.
Families of CSHCN are the experts on their children’s health care and on how systems and services could function more effectively to meet their needs. However, many family members lack the skills, confidence, and support to pursue advocacy and leadership roles in system change. That’s beginning to change in California.
Families and health care providers frequently report long delays in obtaining essential supplies and equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers, ventilators, and hospital beds for children with complex conditions. Based on dozens of interviews, analysis of family surveys, and examination of state and county policies, this report outlines the multiple obstacles that contribute to these sometimes devastating delays, and makes recommendations for change.
New research from Mathematica Policy Research weighs the question: “Can we draw lessons from Medicare to improve care coordination for children with special health care needs - especially those covered by Medicaid?” The answer is yes.
How is it possible to assess whether an organization or government agency truly embraces family engagement in its work? This new issue brief from Family Voices provides a framework for asking the key questions.
Care coordination is an important approach to addressing the fragmented care that children with medical complexity often encounter. What are optimal care coordination services? How does care coordination intersect with care integration and case management? Learn best practices and how to implement a process that will achieve improved outcomes and value for children with special health care needs and their families.
When families are engaged in their children’s care – including being provided with the support necessary to allow meaningful participation – health care systems improve, the quality of care improves, and children and families are better served. This brief analyzes results from a survey of county CCS administrators on how families are currently engaged in their programs, and provides suggestions for how family roles could be enhanced.
Novel care delivery models in which care coordination and other services to children with medical complexity are provided are a focus of national and local health care and policy initiatives. This article explores the rapid proliferation in the creation of new models and examines their unique advantages and disadvantages.
Increased attention to children with medical complexity has occurred because these children are growing in impact, represent a disproportionate share of health system costs, and require policy and programmatic interventions that differ in many ways from broader groups of children with special health care needs. As an emerging field, pediatric care systems should thoughtfully and rapidly develop evidence-based solutions to improve care.
Dedicated care coordination is increasingly seen as key to addressing the fragmented care that children with medical complexity often encounter. Authors discuss the need for infrastructure building, design and implementation leadership, use of care coordination tools and training modules, and appropriate resource allocation under new payment models.
