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Project DOCC: Delivery of Chronic Care

Project DOCC is a training program which focuses on the impact of chronic illness and/or disability on individuals and their families, in every setting including the hospital, home, and community. With improved understanding of health care/disability and advances in diagnosis and treatment, children and adults with chronic conditions live longer. Changes in health care delivery often mean less time in hospitals and create greater need for community supports and services.

Project DOCC offers a curriculum for teaching physicians and other professionals about ingredients necessary for people with special health care needs and their families to live in the community, including a pivotal physician, community resources, and quality of life.

Medical centers and family members form teams to implement Project DOCC. The curriculum is integrated into an existing rotation (e.g. general pediatrics or internal medicine) and is required for all residents and/or medical students during their training. At UTHSC, all pediatric residents participate in DOCC. Community members, generally parents, are trained to deliver the curriculum to the doctors as described below.

Mission

Our mission is to promote an understanding of the issues involved in caring for a family living with special health care needs regardless of age, diagnosis or prognosis; putting the family at the center of the healthcare system.Mission

Philosophy

Our philosophy relies on the commonality of our core issues, not our differences.

  • Chronic illness and/ or disability impacts the whole family
  • The impact is not disease or diagnosis specific
  • We speak with one voice and advocate for each other about our universal issues: medical, financial, educational, social, spiritual
  • We empower family members to assume the role of teacher
  • We identify as models physicians and other professionals whose actions and caring have enhanced lives
  • We seek to provide resources and solutions to concerns raised

Training

Project DOCC trains families on an intermittent basis. Please fill out the information form and send to UTHSC CDD Training Department.

Once trained, Parent-teachers are paid a stipend for their participation to cover expenses like child care etc.

Pediatrics

Project DOCC was created by parents of children with chronic illness and/or disability in 1994 based on their own families' experiences. The Project DOCC curriculum is taught by Parent Teachers in three components:

  • Grand Rounds Panel Presentation (one hour) Evaluation Form
  • Home Visit (two hours) Evaluation Form
  • Parent Interview using the chronic illness history (two hours) Evaluation Form

Hospital Administration and Staff

Healthcare providers have significant impact on the families of children with chronic illnesses or special needs. Advances in medicine have resulted in increased survival of children who may require long-term services from a variety of healthcare professionals. Care coordination is beneficial to both the families and the healthcare providers. 

Brochure

View the Project DOCC brochure.

Contact

For more information, contact Jenness Roth at 901.448.3737 or via email at jroth11@uthsc.edu.

May 26, 2022