Complex Care Program Enrollment and Change in ED and Hospital Visits from Medical Device Complications

Medical device-related complications often lead to emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations for children with medical complexity (CMC), and pediatric complex care programs may be one way to decrease unnecessary encounters. This study from HIP Investigator Dr. Ryan Coller compared ED and inpatient encounters due to device complications of 2 cohorts of CMC at a single children’s hospital during 2014-2016. 

The study found that acute care use from device complications decreased with time. Complex care program enrollment may be associated with more substantial reductions in device complication ED visits, and effects may be most pronounced for CMC with enteral tubes.