New notebooks, cute haircuts, chatting with friends about schedules and teachers: these are some of the most exciting hallmarks of a new school year. While the back-to-school season looks different for a child with complex medical needs, it is still a vital time for growth and new beginnings.

In 2021, we launched a time-motion study to track the whereabouts and activities of our patients, an important first step in reversing the trend that a long hospital stay can put a child more at risk for developmental delay. It was the first study of its kind and our initial results were published in the peer-reviewed Child: Care, Health & Development. (Read more about the research in this blog post.) While having a published paper is an important step in our mission to encourage more research around children with complex medical conditions, the study and our findings have impacted our hospital in even more ways than we anticipated.

For the majority of us, the holiday season means time at home with family. But for our patients with complex medical conditions, most cannot go home to celebrate. That’s why at this time of year, I always think about the importance of family togetherness. Family time is critical for a child’s development and the truth is the healthcare industry can do a lot to improve family connection when a loved one is in the hospital.

No parent plans for their child to be in the hospital, especially for a prolonged period of time. But for parents of kids aged 0-5 who face this reality, I know there’s something they worry about: a long hospital stay can put a child more at risk for developmental delay. In an important first step in reversing this trend, my team and I at Ranken Jordan launched a time-motion study in 2021 to track the whereabouts and activities of our patients.