This book describes the state of the art of pediatric complex care, sharing the authors' decades of experience in an academic health center to illustrate points. The authors are pediatric generalist and subspecialist providers, among others, who care for children with medical complexity in a Pediatric Complex Care program. Children with medical complexity (CMC) are a small yet impactful pediatric population, a subset of children with special healthcare needs that include multi-system, non-categorical, chronic conditions, high resource and technology dependencies, medical fragility, and functional impairments. CMC do not fit into traditional systems of care. They require the continuous collaboration of pediatric subspecialists, community and public health partners, and family caregivers. The field of Pediatric Complex Care is rapidly evolving, yet lacks a well-prepared workforce built on clear educational competencies and clinical guidelines. In this compact volume, the authors review models of care for CMC, and how these models intersect with larger public health systems, dependent on collaborative networks of community-based and family partnerships. They explore ethical considerations, including implications for policy and practice. Among the topics covered are:The Specialty and Scope of Complex Care PediatricsEthical Considerations in the Care of Children with Medical ComplexityImplications for Policy and PracticeHealthcare Delivery for Children with Medical Complexity: The State of the Art and Future Directions is an essential resource for all medical professionals who care for CMC, public policy makers, medical educators, healthcare leaders, and community partners and stakeholders.
