Pediatric Complex Care

Families with children with multiple medical needs face many challenges. Attending appointments at multiple clinics. Frequent or prolonged hospital stays. Constant disruptions to work, school, and family life. In many cases, there may also be transportation or financial challenges.

The pediatric medically complex care program at Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital helps families overcome these challenges so you can spend less time on the phone, in the clinic, or worried about details and more time living life together.

We are grateful for generous support from the Peter and Joan Secchia CarePartners Program, which played a critical role in creating the complex care program and continues to provide funding for services and staffing needs.

The complex care program is for children who need to see multiple specialists throughout the year and require frequent appointments or hospitalizations. Families may be referred to our program if their child:

• Receives care from specialists in at least three different specialty areas
• Requires at least 10 specialty appointments per year or has had at least one hospital stay greater than five days within the past year
• Is dependent on at least one medical device or technology to sustain their life or support activities of daily life

Support is also provided by Little Heroes League, an organization that partners with multiple NICUs across the country, to coordinate care inside and outside the hospital for newborns and infants with multiple medical conditions.

Our goal is to connect the care you receive from your child’s pediatrician with their specialty providers at Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Your team includes a physician or advanced practice provider, a medical social worker, a nurse navigator, and a dedicated scheduling coordinator.

At your first meeting, we will discuss your child’s needs and priorities so we can develop the best overall plan for your family. Our team will also meet with you regularly to help you understand your child’s treatment plan, identify and address any gaps in care, and ensure clear communication between you and your child’s medical team. Other program benefits include:

• Single point of contact. Your dedicated scheduling coordinator will help schedule and consolidate your child’s appointments and ensure continuity of care
• Streamlined specialty appointments. We work to combine multiple specialty appointments into a single visit, so that you can make the best use of your time and minimize travel
• Appointment attendance. A member of your complex care team can attend specialist appointments with you, if you feel that would be helpful and schedules allow
• Referrals to support services. We can connect you with community resources, financial counseling, social work, pastoral care, and other beneficial resources
• Patient and family lounge. Families have access to our calming, child-friendly space to relax and rest between appointments or testing. The lounge is open weekdays from 8 am to 4:30 pm and after hours by appointment