Many children in the US need support for everyday activities due to health issues. Some kids need durable equipment and supplies (DMES) to help them, like glasses or machines to assist with breathing.

Despite these tools being common in everyday care, not much is known about how they’re used and how they impact health. A study by CYSHCNet researcher Arda Hotz, MD, MPH et al., categorizes the tools to understand how they are used. They found that a significant number of kids (1 in 6) on Medicaid use DMES, and the cost is quite high, affecting nearly 20% of all Medicaid spending for outpatient, community, and home health services.

The study suggests that the information from this study could lead to further investigations. For example, it could help identify kids who are likely to need these tools, improve the timing and efficiency of providing them, and reduce errors. The study’s findings might also help in making sure these tools are used safely and effectively, improving the quality of care for kids with complex health conditions. The system proposed by Hotz et al. could be useful for future monitoring of trends in DMES use and ensuring better access to needed services.

Read the study by CYSHCNet researcher Arda Hotz, MD, MPH et al: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2810990

Read the invited commentary, provided in part by CYSHCNet researcher Ryan Coller, MD, MPH: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2810993