Enhancing Prehospital Care for Children with Medical Complexity: The Evolution of the STARS Program.
Pediatric Emergency Care · 2026-04-23 · Implementation & quality improvement
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The population of children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) has grown significantly. This includes children with medical complexity (CMC), those with chronic conditions, functional limitations, or reliance on medical technology. Due to advances in medical care, these children are now able to live at home, making encounters with emergency medical services (EMS) more likely. EMS clinicians receive limited pediatric training and have infrequent encounters with this population, resulting in variable comfort and preparedness. Utilization of emergency care among CMC is further influenced by social determinants of health, with disadvantaged communities experiencing higher emergency department use and increased child mortality. To bridge these gaps, the Special Needs Tracking and Awareness Response System (STARS) was developed to enhance EMS readiness, promote health equity, and improve prehospital care for CMC. METHODS: Launched in 2014 as an EMS-driven initiative, STARS has evolved into a hospital-based, physician-led program with individualized emergency care plans stored in a secure electronic system. A major focus of STARS is to create and provide emergency care education to EMS and community EDs in their catchment area regarding STARS. RESULTS: As of 2025, STARS has enrolled 2424 patients. The program has reduced unnecessary transports, strengthened disaster response, and offered an opportunity to address health inequities in CMC. CONCLUSIONS: STARS provides a scalable and collaborative model that prioritizes medically complex, high-risk pediatric populations through targeted EMS training, interdisciplinary care coordination, and real-time access to patient-specific plans. This approach offers a unique opportunity to advance prehospital care and improve health outcomes for CMC.
Abstract © the authors or publisher, via PubMed. Reuse and removal
Tags
Children · Communication & handover · Equity & disparities · Patients with home medical technology · Implementation · Paramedics & EMTs · Socially vulnerable groups
Related articles
- Overcoming language barriers in paramedic care: a study protocol of the interventional trial 'DICTUM rescue' evaluating an app designed to improve communication between paramedics and foreign-language patients. (BMC Health Serv Res, 2020)
- Acceptability of ambulance-based telemedicine (ABT) for paediatric emergencies in Karachi, Pakistan. (BMJ Glob Health, 2026)
- Feasibility of implementing a community cardiovascular health promotion program with paramedics and volunteers in a South Asian population. (BMC Public Health, 2020)
- A Statewide Survey of Strengths, Challenges, and Resources for Emergency Medical Services Responses to the Homes of Children and Youth With Special Health Care Needs. (Pediatr Emerg Care, 2026)
- Perceptions of Prehospital Care for Patients With Limited English Proficiency Among Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics. (JAMA Netw Open, 2023)
- Implementation and evaluation of a palliative care training unit for EMS providers. (Front Pediatr, 2023)