Children With Medical Complexity: An Emerging Population for Clinical and Research Initiatives

Children with medical complexity (CMC) have medical fragility and intensive care needs that are not easily met by existing health care models. CMC may have a congenital or acquired multisystem disease, a severe neurologic condition with marked functional impairment, and/or technology dependence for activities of daily living. Although these children are at risk of poor health and family outcomes, there are few well-characterized clinical initiatives and research efforts devoted to improving their care. In this article, we present a definitional framework of CMC that consists of substantial family-identified service needs, characteristic chronic and severe conditions, functional limitations, and high health…

• UO
  University of Utah
• AB
  Arkansas Biosciences Institute
• HF
  Hospital for Sick Children
• NI
  National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
• NC
  National Center for Research Resources
• EK
  Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

  Awards: K23 HD052553, HD058092