Establishment of a state-supported, specialized home care program for children with complex health-care needs

Establishment of a systematic approach to home care for children who require complex, technology-dependent care requires a well-thought-out process of collaboration and planning between all parties involved--the family, the professional, and the hospital. The State of Michigan Department of Public Health elected to assist families in taking their children home through a Specialized Home Care Program funded by combined sources that emphasized child care needs first rather than cost savings. This review identifies the development of roles, processes and products, and methods to enhance the discharge planning and home care processes. These processes indicate the need for parent involvement and teamwork with health-care professionals. Refinement of the program is suggested as well as further development of an evaluation component and family assessment tools.