Hospital Access Patterns of Children With Technology Dependence

We studied hospital utilization patterns among children with technology dependence (CTD). We hypothesized that increasing pediatric healthcare concentration requires those caring for CTD to selectively navigate healthcare systems and travel greater distances for care.

Using 2017 all-encounter datasets from 6 US states, we identified CTD visits defined by presence of a tracheostomy, gastrostomy, or intraventricular shunt. We calculated pediatric Hospital Capability Indices for hospitals and mapped distances between patient residence, nearest hospital, and encounter facility.

Thirty-five percent of hospitals never saw CTD. Of 37 108 CTD encounters within the remaining 543 hospitals, most emergency visits (70.0%) and inpatient admissions (85.3%) occurred within 34 (6.3%) high capability centers. Only 11.7% of visits were to the closest facility, as CTD traveled almost 4 times further to receive care. When CTD bypassed nearer facilities, they were 10 times more likely to travel to high-capability centers (95% confidence interval: 9.43-10.8), but even those accessing low-capability facilities bypassed less capable, geographically closer hospitals. Transfer was more likely in nearest and low-capability facility encounters. CTD with Medicaid insurance, Black race, or from lower socioeconomic communities had lower odds of encounters at high-capability centers and of bypassing a closer institution than those with white race, private insurance, or from advantaged communities.

Children with technology dependence routinely bypass closer hospitals to access care in facilities with higher pediatric capability. This access behavior leaves many hospitals unfamiliar with CTD, which results in greater travel but less transfers and may be influenced by sociodemographic factors.