How can the principles of complexity science be applied to improve the coordination of care for complex pediatric patients?
- 1Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- 2Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- 3Department of Surgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- 4Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- 5Schulich School of Business, York University, Toronto, Canada
- 6Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies, York University Toronto, Canada
- Correspondence to: Dr A G Matlow Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1X8; anne.matlow{at}sickkids.ca
- Accepted 19 December 2005
Abstract
Clinical and technological advances in medicine have resulted in more patients requiring multidisciplinary care and coordination of services. This is particularly challenging in pediatrics, given the dependency of children. Coordination of care is a key ingredient of quality care; when suboptimal, clinical outcomes and satisfaction can suffer. In this article we view coordination of care through the lens of complexity science in an effort to find new solutions to this healthcare challenge.
Footnotes
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Competing interests: none
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AGM had the idea for the article, did much of the literature search on coordination in the health care setting, wrote the article, and is the guarantor. JGW, BZ, and KT were involved in discussion about the content, wrote portions of the manuscript, and contributed to the final draft. MV wrote portions of the manuscript.
