Innovating for imPACT: Pilot Study Evaluation of a Pediatric Palliative Care Transition of Care Telehealth...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Palliative Care
• Health Services Research
• Telehealth Applications

Background:

• Complex medical conditions affect approximately 50,000 children annually in the US.
• A significant gap exists in end-of-life care services for these children.
• Transition of care programs are crucial for improving outcomes in pediatric palliative care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the implementation and initial outcomes of a novel telehealth transition of care program.
• To assess the feasibility of the imPACT program in a diverse pediatric population.
• To identify early indicators of program success in managing pediatric palliative and end-of-life patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of patient data.
• Enrollment of 27 pediatric patients in the first year of the imPACT program.
• Analysis of readmission rates and emergency/urgent care utilization.

Main Results:

• The imPACT program successfully enrolled patients from diverse geographic and racial/ethnic backgrounds.
• 20% of enrolled patients experienced a readmission within the study period.
• 18% of enrolled patients utilized emergency or urgent care services.

Conclusions:

• The telehealth transition of care program (imPACT) was successfully implemented.
• The program demonstrated feasibility in serving a diverse pediatric population with complex conditions.
• Further research is warranted to optimize the program and its impact on patient outcomes.