Stakeholder perspectives: Communication, care coordination, and transitions in care for children with medical complexity.
Lori J Williams, Katherine Waller, Rachel P Chenoweth and 1 others
PMID 33098752WHAT IT FOUND
Families and staff said care coordination needs clear communication from the primary inpatient team, early discharge planning, and listening to parents.
Discharge planning was a common concern, and parents rated discharge preparation lower than staff.
Key findings
01Open-ended responses produced three themes: balanced collaborative relationships with families, proactive care coordination, and inclusive interdisciplinary centralized coordination.
02Four parents expected discharge in upcoming days, but two reported that discharge communication and preparation had not started.
03Different teams often shared information with families before coordinating with the primary team, causing confusion.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only six parents participated, so parent perspectives may not represent many families. The study was done in one children's hospital, so results may not apply to other hospitals. Anonymous surveys limited demographic data. The study did not use established care coordination measures, so comparisons with other studies are limited. The design changed from focus groups to online surveys. Low patient census and repeat admissions of children whose parents had already participated may have limited parent recruitment. The hospital parent advisory group was not consulted during recruitment. The study describes stakeholder perceptions and experiences, not the effects of a tested intervention.
Declared interests
No author conflict-of-interest declaration appears in the supplied text. The publication types list NIH extramural and non-U.S. government research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these stakeholder reports as evidence that a specific care-coordination program improves outcomes. The study is descriptive, small, single-site, and only six parents participated, so it identifies problems and preferences rather than tested effects.