In the Field: Visiting Peer Institutions to Inform Pediatric Palliative Care Program Redevelopment.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Pediatric Palliative Care
• Program Development

Background:

• Pediatric palliative care (PPC) programs face challenges in standardization due to inherent heterogeneity.
• A novel approach was implemented to learn from peer institutions for program revision and expansion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the utilization of structured site visits to North American peer programs as a method for informing PPC program development.

Main Methods:

• The process involved organizing site visits, conducting interdisciplinary team trips, and performing semi-structured interviews to identify common tensions.
• Data analysis focused on uncovering and naming key tensions to inform a clinical model redesign.

Main Results:

• Seven field trips were completed with 16 interdisciplinary team members, identifying 2 primary and 5 sub-themes/tension points.
• The insights gained led to formative changes in team structure and the creation of a new clinical model within 8 months.

Conclusions:

• Peer site visits effectively highlight shared and distinct strengths and challenges within PPC programs.
• Knowledge acquired through these visits can guide the creative and informed evolution of PPC services.