Shriners Parade 06/21/03

The program has succeeded in developing a family-centered, comprehensive system of managed health care for children with special healthcare needs, a system that is based on carefully documented case management procedures and supported by open lines of communication among Shriners Hospitals, Title V agencies, patients, and their families.

Children who have problems involving multiple body systems, such as the child with spina bifida who has urinary tract problems, neurological disorders, and varying degrees of paralysis, will benefit from timely treatment of his medical problems. Unless problems are recognized and treated early, serious problems can develop quickly.

The CHOICES program, a joint venture of public and private concerns, has developed into a comprehensive multidisciplinary program that addresses a child’s total health care needs. If adapted by other healthcare organizations, this program could be made available to even more children with complicated health care problems.

At the heart of the program is a case management system that relies on open and frequent communication between the staff of Title V agencies and the staffs of Shriners Hospitals.

The CHOICES program has allowed many special children to lead more productive and fulfilling lives. For more information about the CHOICES program, see the CHOICES Web Site.