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A pilot study of the utility of a hospital-based school program for pediatric patients with cardiac diagnoses
Lia K Thibodaux1, Ashley L Orr2, Debra L Reisinger3,4
1Department of Neurology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States.
Insights
Hospital-based school programs (HBSPs) support pediatric cardiac patients with complex needs. These programs facilitate academic accommodations like Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and Section 504 Plans, crucial for their development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Educational Psychology
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Pediatric patients with complex cardiac conditions face significant physical, cognitive, and developmental risks.
- Formalized academic support, including Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and Section 504 Plans, is essential for these vulnerable students.
- Hospital-Based School Programs (HBSPs) can enhance the delivery of academic support within healthcare settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact and utilization of a hospital-based school program (HBSP) for pediatric patients with complex cardiac diagnoses.
- To assess the HBSP's role in facilitating academic support and accommodations for this patient population.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of demographic and school support data was conducted for pediatric cardiac patients.
- Data encompassed two academic years, including HBSP encounters, inpatient/outpatient visits, and academic support requests.
Main Results:
- The study included 29 pediatric cardiac patients with 100 HBSP encounters.
- The HBSP made recommendations for Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for 8 patients and Section 504 Plans for 13 patients.
- High utilization of HBSP services was observed for medical homebound requests (N=27) and releases of information (N=39).
Conclusions:
- Pediatric cardiac patients demonstrate a high need for and utilization of academic support services facilitated by HBSPs.
- HBSPs effectively provide access to crucial information, formal recommendations, and communication between medical and educational environments.
- The findings underscore the importance of integrating HBSPs to support the educational well-being of children with complex cardiac conditions.
Introduction:
Pediatric patients with complex cardiac diagnoses are at increased risk for physical, cognitive, and developmental complications. Formalized school support [i.e., individualized education programs (IEPs), Section 504 Accommodation Plans (Section 504 Plans)] that addresses the needs of these patients is necessary, and hospital-based school programs (HBSPs) have the potential to bolster the acquisition of academic support. In this pilot study, we look at the impact of one such HBSP.
Methods:
Retrospective demographic and school support data for pediatric cardiac patients were analyzed.
Results:
Our sample included 29 pediatric cardiac patients spanning two academic years. These patients had 100 HBSP encounters and 82 inpatient and 12 outpatient encounters, with 68.9% of patients having multiple encounters in a single year and 44.8% of patients being seen in both years. The HBSP made recommendations for patients to receive IEPs (N = 8) and Section 504 Plans (N = 13). The patients also submitted requests for medical homebound(N = 27), obtaining releases of information (N = 39), submitting medical reports (N = 10), and completing certificates of incapacity (N = 7). Statistical analyses revealed no significant relationships with patients entering or receiving a recommendation for an IEP or Section 504 Plan in any of their encounters with the HBSP on the basis of sex, race/ethnicity, school level, or rates of encounters in this sample.
Discussion:
Similar to previous studies, these patients had high rates of IEPs/Section 504 Plans in place and continued to receive school recommendations through the HBSP. A high use of the HBSP was seen in the total number of encounters and communications (i.e., submitting to the school of record requests for classroom placement changes via medical homebound). Working with the HBSP provided access to information, formal support recommendations, and communication between medical and school settings in the form of changes in school status.
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