ABSTRACT
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Historical Perspective. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Establishing Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Family-Centered Care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Pediatric Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Developing the Care Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Home Nursing/Attendant Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Case Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 The Life Care Planner and the Pediatric Care Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
The new generation of children with complex health care needs and chronic illnesses requires a wide range of services in order to have an acceptable quality of life and be included in the communities in which they live. As a result, case management has become an important aspect of pediatric care because it helps ensure these services are coordinated and delivered effectively. Pediatric case managers have many roles to play. Caring for children and their families is by its very nature holistic. Pediatric case managers have the dual responsibilities of advocating for safe, cost-effective, and appropriate health care services and advocating for a child and his family in recognition of the family’s strengths and needs
relative to the child’s health care services. Understanding these responsibilities and acting in the many roles required to effect the child’s efficient movement through the continuum of health care and related community services are the essentials of pediatric case management. Pediatric case managers must have a unique set of skills to be effective in the delivery of case management services. In addition to a comprehensive understanding of pediatric health conditions, a thorough knowledge of typical growth and development as well as developmental delays is essential.
