ABSTRACT
Background
Medical home (MH) is a financially viable, all-inclusive primary care model that can enhance communication, improve care coordination and support patients, families and healthcare providers. No standard screening tool exists for use by hospital-based healthcare providers to identify children with medical complexity (CMC), which can result in inconsistent MH referrals. The purpose of this research was to develop and validate a screening tool for use in identifying CMC who would benefit most from early MH referrals prior to hospital discharge home.
Methods
This mixed-methods research utilized e-Delphi methodology and retrospective chart review to develop and validate a screening tool for MH referrals.
Results
Twenty-three nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians, social workers and case managers participated in four e-Delphi rounds to develop the Pediatric Medical Home Screening Tool (PMHST). The PMHST consists of four sections and 20 criteria. Reliability testing of the PMHST revealed 82% agreement with medical complexity categorization of infants and young children.
Conclusion
The PMHST may enhance future care transitions, improve quality of care and reduce the risks of safety events. The PMHST was validated in a sample of infants and young children and will be tested with a broader sample of children in the future.