Pitt Pediatrics congratulates Kelly Harris, MD, for her recent publication in Academic Pediatrics titled “Family Caregivers of Children With Medical Complexity: Changes in Health-Related Quality of Life and Experiences of Care Coordination.” Harris is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care and in the Division of Hematology-Oncology. 
In this article, Harris, and her co-writers Kristin Ray, MD, MS, FAAP (Div. of General Academic Pediatrics) and Justin Yu, MD, MS (Div. of Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care), examine the long-term association between between family experiences of care coordination (FECC) and health–related quality of life (HR-QOL) for family caregivers of children with medical complexity (CMC). This kind of longitudinal survey is relatively novel in the field, and was conducted among family caregivers of CMC between July 2018 and June 2020.
After the collection of follow-up data 12-16 months after the initial contact with participating family caregivers of CMC, results found that reported significant improvements in 8 of 9 FECC measures after one year of care within a complex care center. In contrast, however, caregiver HR-QOL during that time generally remained static.
At both the outset and conclusion of the survey period some participants reported their general health status as fair-to-poor, and more than half reported frequent poor sleep and fatigue, with little change over the time period.
Ultimately, Harris, Ray, and Yu conclude that following a year of care through a complex care center, CMC family caregivers experience improvements in overall care coordination, but not in their general quality of life. The ongoing issue with caregiver mentally unhealthy days and negative mental symptom days indicate further need for directed interventions.
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