Committee on Hospital Care (COHC)

As an AAP interprofessional/interdisciplinary care team, the Committee on Hospital Care (COHC) raises, transforms, and improves the standard of care for children in the hospital in conjunction with the patient’s caregivers and medical home. COHC aspires to transform the care of hospitalized children.

Collaboration between nursing staff, medical providers (primary care, specialists, etc.), home care agencies, paraprofessional staff (physical therapy, occupational therapy, phlebotomy, etc.) and the patients and families is a guiding principle of the Committee that is reflected in its composition. Members are appointed to represent expertise in primary, subspecialty, and surgical pediatric care; child life; nursing; family; and administration.

History

On June 25, 1930, two days after founding the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Executive Board met at the University Club in Detroit, Michigan. The new Academy President, Dr Isaac Abt, was charged with appointing several working groups. The Committee on Hospitals and Dispensaries was one of the first committees established.

The Committee on Hospitals and Dispensaries delivered its first report at the 1931 annual meeting. At that time, it proposed to gather information on hospitals in the United States and recommend ways in which they could improve their care of children -- which continues to be its primary goal to this day. In 1955 the Committee on Hospitals and Dispensaries was renamed the “Committee on Hospital Care.”

The Committee works closely with the Section on Hospital Medicine (home of pediatric hospitalists) on a number of projects and initiatives.

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Committee Members

Daniel A. Rauch, MD, FAAP
Chairperson
Boston, MA

Tania Fontánez, MD, FAAP
Miami, FL

Samantha House, MD, FAAP
Lebanon, NH

Benson S. Hsu, MD, MBA, FCC, FAAP
Section on Critical Care Member
Sioux Falls, SD

Melissa Mauro-Small
Section on Hospital Medicine Member
Rockland, MA

Charles Vinocur, MD, FAAP
Section on Surgery Representative
Wilmington, DE

Nicole Webb, MD, FAAP
Fresno, CA

Suzanne Rybczynski, MD, FAAP
Liaison to Hospital Accreditation Organizations
Baltimore, MD

Karen Castleberry
Family Representative
Chicago, IL

Quinn Franklin, PhD, CCLS
Liaison, Association of Child Life Professionals
Houston, TX

Nancy Hanson
Liaison, Children's Hospital Association
Minneapolis, MN

Kristin Hittle Gigli, PhD
Liaison, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practioners
Pittsburgh, PA

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