Catalyzing Cross-Sector Collaboration: Lessons from a Virtual Pediatric Complex Care Coalition

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Systems Research
• Public Health Initiatives
• Interprofessional Collaboration

Background:

• Children with complex health needs (CCHN) face fragmented care due to intersecting medical, behavioral health, and social service needs.
• This fragmentation often leads to uncoordinated care for CCHN and their families.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the formation of a statewide cross-sector partnership, the Children's Complex Care Coalition of North Carolina.
• To identify and implement system-level improvements in care for CCHN.

Main Methods:

• Utilized virtual community engagement to establish a cross-sector advisory committee.
• Systematically identified and prioritized collaborator-defined needs for care systems.
• Hosted virtual convenings with over 90 attendees to operationalize priorities into actionable steps.

Main Results:

• Building trusting relationships, especially with CCHN families, was crucial for partnership success.
• Aligning goals with existing local and regional efforts facilitated progress.
• Challenges included incorporating under-represented perspectives and managing virtual engagement logistics.

Conclusions:

• Health systems can initiate cross-sector coalitions to advance complex care.
• Virtual convenings are effective for connecting members and generating actionable recommendations for system-level improvements.