Using Technology in the Transition of Children From Hospital to Home

Advances in neonatal, pediatric, and surgical care and in medical technology have led to increased survival rates for severely ill children with complex medical conditions. At the same time, these advances have increased the number of children who are disabled with long-term dependence on medical technology to support basic life functions.^1,2  In the past 2 decades, the number of children, from infants to adolescents, who have respiratory failure and receive long-term mechanical ventilator support via tracheostomy has increased dramatically.³  Children with complex medical conditions, especially those who are technology-dependent, experience frequent and sometimes lengthy hospitalizations.⁴ 

Discharge for this population usually is a complicated process involving many steps. Success at home depends on the development and implementation of an interdisciplinary and coordinated plan of care to address ongoing health care needs.^3–6  Children are now often discharged to continue or complete interventions begun in...