This study aims to better understand the population of children with medical complexity in the Maritime provinces. It builds on prior work conducted in Nova Scotia, where an extensive chart review informed the development of a validated algorithm to identify children with medical complexity using administrative data. This is a health administrative data study using linked data from across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island to apply the algorithm and explore key characteristics and health system use within this population. The findings will help inform care planning and support health system improvements across the region.
Objectives
- Validate three administrative data algorithms to determine which method is the best fit to identify children with medical complexity in the Canadian Maritimes.
- Use the algorithm identified as the best fit to describe patterns of health care utilization for this cohort in each of the three Maritime Provinces from 2003-2017.
What we learned
- Peer-reviewed publication: Identifying children with medical complexity in administrative datasets in a Canadian context: study protocol (External website)
- Infographic: Who are children with medical complexity? (PDF)
- Impact story (MSSU): No family is left behind