WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) released part one of a two-part Industry Impact Report, offering new insights and data on the significance of America’s children’s hospitals. This first installment features an in-depth analysis of parent and caregiver perspectives on the crucial role children’s hospitals play in America’s health care system, as well as parent and guardian care preferences and views on workforce incentives and initiatives.

“This initial report underscores that parents and caregivers value having the option to access the specialized pediatric care that children’s hospitals offer,” said Matthew Cook, CEO of CHA. “Children’s hospitals are expressly designed, and staff are trained, to meet the emotional, physical and cognitive needs of children and teens. When it comes to the specialized care children’s hospitals provide, parents with children under the age of 18 overwhelmingly support giving our facilities the resources needed to deliver everything from routine to critical care for the infants, children, and teens who come through our doors.”

Part one of the Industry Impact Report features a survey – conducted in partnership with the public affairs impact agency LSG – that polled 1,000 likely voters who are parents or caregivers of children under the age of 18. Topline findings from respondents include:  

• Nearly all (93%) believe that children’s hospitals are important to meeting the health care needs of children in America, and nearly all (92%) would seek treatment for their child at a children’s hospital that is further away than the nearest general, adult-focused hospital. 
• The vast majority (89%) believe the federal government should help ensure children’s hospitals have the funding they need.
• All proposals championed by CHA to strengthen the pediatric workforce received significant majority support, including:

• Increasing funding to grow the pediatric mental health workforce (82%),
• Increasing federal funding for CHGME – the children’s hospitals graduate medical education – and increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates at rates comparable to Medicare (69%),
• Providing additional incentives for health care professionals to pursue pediatric careers (79%),
• And providing greater support for pediatric health care provider well-being (80%).

• 68% recognize that America’s children’s hospitals do not have enough pediatricians and pediatric specialists to meet children’s health care needs.

• The overwhelming majority (94%) would be willing to take action to preserve children’s access to care at children’s hospitals.

“This survey quantifies the indispensable value of children’s hospitals, their workforce, and the specialized services they provide,” said Phillip Morris, partner at LSG and head of the firm’s research and insights practice. “The results are a testament to the need for continued and further investment in these facilities. The data collected – straight from the decisionmakers for children’s medical needs – resoundingly affirms that children’s hospitals are on the frontlines of providing advanced, specialized care for America’s children and teens.”

CHA’s Industry Impact Report is a component of the association’s “Made Possible by Your Children’s Hospital” campaign, that launched earlier this year. The initiative celebrates the big and small moments children have been able to experience because of the advanced, specialized care that America’s children’s hospitals provide.

Part one of the Industry Impact Report can be found here. The second installment of the report, which will feature a survey of acute care children’s hospitals, will be released in the coming weeks with newly collected data and insights from children’s hospitals across the country.