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Dennis Z. Kuo, M.D., M.H.S.

Dennis Z. Kuo, M.D., M.H.S.

he/him

Pediatrics , Pediatric Developmental Disabilities

UR Medicine Faculty The University of Rochester Medical Faculty Group (URMFG) consists of over 900 specialist and primary care providers spanning 19 departments. URMFG is certified by the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
Accountable Health Partner Accountable Health Partners (AHP) is a network of over 2,000 community and UR medical faculty and a dozen leading hospitals throughout the region. AHP offers a full range of care.
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About Me

Professional Background

Dr. Kuo is Chief of the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. He received his MD from the University of Pennsylvania and completed his residency in pediatrics at the University of North Carolina Hospitals and fellowship in General Academic Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University. Dr....
Dr. Kuo is Chief of the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. He received his MD from the University of Pennsylvania and completed his residency in pediatrics at the University of North Carolina Hospitals and fellowship in General Academic Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Kuo has a longstanding interest in comprehensive care of children with disabilities and medical complexity. Prior to coming to URMC, Dr. Kuo provided both general pediatric and specialty care for children with medical complexity, developmental disabilities, and feeding disorders at Arkansas Children's Hospital and Oishei Children's Hospital (Buffalo, NY).

Certified Specialties

Pediatrics - American Board of Pediatrics

Faculty Appointments

Professor - Department of Pediatrics, Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics (SMD)

Purcell Family Distinguished Professorship - Department of Pediatrics (SMD)

Credentials

Residency & Fellowship

Fellowship, Research, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 2005 - 2008

Residency, Internship/Residency, University of North Carolina. 1998 - 2000

Internship, Pediatrics, University of North Carolina. 1997 - 1998

Education

MHS | John Hopkins University Bloomberg School Of Public Health. 2006

MD | University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Pediatrics. 1997

Research

Dr. Kuo's research interests include patient- and family-centered care for children with medical complexity; care coordination; early childhood health; and health care system reform for children with disabilities and medical complexity. He is a Steering Committee member of the Children and Youth wi...
Dr. Kuo's research interests include patient- and family-centered care for children with medical complexity; care coordination; early childhood health; and health care system reform for children with disabilities and medical complexity. He is a Steering Committee member of the Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs research network.

Publications

Journal Articles

Measuring What Matters to Children With Medical Complexity and Their Families.

Randolph G, Coleman C, Allshouse C, Plant B, Kuo DZ

Pediatrics.. 2024 January 1153 (Suppl 1)Epub 1900 01 01.

What Families of Children With Medical Complexity Say They Need: Humanism in Care Delivery Change.

Houlihan BV, Coleman C, Kuo DZ, Plant B, Comeau M

Pediatrics.. 2024 January 1153 (Suppl 1)Epub 1900 01 01.

Coping Factors for Caregivers of Children With Medical Complexity During Hospitalization.

Krieg KD, Nooraie RY, Favella M, Iadarola S, Kuo DZ, O'Connor TG, Petrenko CLM, Bayer ND

Hospital pediatrics.. 2023 November 16 Epub 11/16/2023.

Impairment Types and Combinations Among Adolescents and Young Adults with Disabilities: Colorado 2014-2018.

Chien AT, Spence SJ, Okumura MJ, Lu S, Chan CH, Houtrow AJ, Kuo DZ, Van Cleave JM, Shanske SA, Schuster MA, Kuhlthau KA, Toomey SL

Academic pediatrics.. 2023 November 2 Epub 11/02/2023.

Comparing Pediatric Physical Trauma Outcomes by Special Health Care Needs Status.

Lillvis DF, Sheehan KM, Yu J, Noyes K, Harmon C, Kuo DZ

Hospital pediatrics.. 2023 August 16 Epub 08/16/2023.

A National Profile of Families and Caregivers of Children with Disabilities and/or Medical Complexity.

Yu JA, Bayer ND, Beach SR, Kuo DZ, Houtrow AJ

Academic pediatrics.. 2022 August 21 Epub 08/21/2022.

Access to Services for Children and Youth With Special Health Care Needs and Their Families: Concepts and Considerations for an Integrated Systems Redesign.

Kuo DZ, Rodgers RC, Beers NS, McLellan SE, Nguyen TK

Pediatrics.. 2022 June 1149 (Suppl 7)Epub 1900 01 01.

Characterizing physical trauma in Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs.

Lillvis DF, Sheehan KM, Yu J, Noyes K, Bass KD, Kuo DZ

The journal of trauma and acute care surgery.. 2022 March 14 Epub 03/14/2022.

Pediatric primary care immunization policies in New York State.

Lillvis DF, Miller CR, Kuo DZ

Vaccine.. 2022 March 140 (10):1458-1463. Epub 02/04/2022.

Moving From Spending to Investment: A Research Agenda for Improving Health Care Financing for Children and Youth With Special Health Care Needs.

Kuo DZ, Comeau M, Perrin JM, Coleman C, White P, Lerner C, Stille CJ

Academic pediatrics.. 2022 March 22 (2S):S47-S53. Epub 11/19/2021.

Research Agenda for Implementation of Principles of Care for Children and Youth With Special Health Care Needs.

Kuo DZ, Lail J, Comeau M, Chesnut E, Meyers A, Mosquera R

Academic pediatrics.. 2022 March 22 (2S):S41-S46. Epub 1900 01 01.

Improving Health Care Transitions for Children and Youth With Special Health Care Needs.

Okumura MJ, Kuo DZ, Ware AN, Cyr MH, White PH

Academic pediatrics.. 2022 March 22 (2S):S7-S13. Epub 10/29/2021.

A National Mental Health Profile of Parents of Children With Medical Complexity.

Bayer ND, Wang H, Yu JA, Kuo DZ, Halterman JS, Li Y

Pediatrics.. 2021 June 21 Epub 06/21/2021.

Timing of Co-occurring Chronic Conditions in Children With Neurologic Impairment.

Thomson J, Hall M, Nelson K, Flores JC, Garrity B, DeCourcey DD, Agrawal R, Goodman DM, Feinstein JA, Coller RJ, Cohen E, Kuo DZ, Antoon JW, Houtrow AJ, Bastianelli L, Berry JG

Pediatrics.. 2021 February 147 (2)Epub 01/07/2021.

Health of Newborns and Infants Born to Women With Disabilities: The Life Course Perspective.

Kuo DZ, Houtrow AJ

Pediatrics.. 2020 December 146 (6)Epub 11/17/2020.

Association of state vision screening requirements with parent-reported vision testing in young children.

Lillvis JH, Lillvis DF, Towle-Miller LM, Wilding GE, Kuo DZ

Journal of AAPOS : the official publication of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. 2020 October 24 (5):291.e1-291.e6. Epub 09/29/2020.

Disruption of healthcare: Will the COVID pandemic worsen non-COVID outcomes and disease outbreaks?

Barach P, Fisher SD, Adams MJ, Burstein GR, Brophy PD, Kuo DZ, Lipshultz SE

Progress in pediatric cardiology.. 2020 June 6 :101254. Epub 06/06/2020.

Healthcare access and adverse family impact among U.S. children ages 0-5?years by prematurity status.

Lindly OJ, Crossman MK, Shui AM, Kuo DZ, Earl KM, Kleven AR, Perrin JM, Kuhlthau KA

BMC pediatrics.. 2020 April 1720 (1):168. Epub 04/17/2020.

Costs and Use for Children With Medical Complexity in a Care Management Program.

Bergman DA, Keller D, Kuo DZ, Lerner C, Mansour M, Stille C, Richardson T, Rodean J, Hudak M

Pediatrics.. 2020 April 145 (4)Epub 1900 01 01.

Health System Research Priorities for Children and Youth With Special Health Care Needs.

Coller RJ, Berry JG, Kuo DZ, Kuhlthau K, Chung PJ, Perrin JM, Hoover CG, Warner G, Shelton C, Thompson LR, Garrity B, Stille CJ

Pediatrics.. 2020 March 145 (3)Epub 02/05/2020.

Correction to: Do Insurance Mandates Affect Racial Disparities in Outcomes for Children with Autism?

Doshi P, Tilford JM, Ounpraseuth S, Kuo DZ, Payakachat N

Maternal and child health journal.. 2019 May 23 (5):704-709. Epub 1900 01 01.

Care Quality and Spending Among Commercially Insured Children With Disabilities.

Chien AT, Toomey SL, Kuo DZ, Van Cleave J, Houtrow AJ, Okumura MJ, Westfall MY, Petty CR, Quinn JA, Kuhlthau KA, Schuster MA

Academic pediatrics.. 2019 April 19 (3):291-299. Epub 06/19/2018.

Association of Home Respiratory Equipment and Supply Use with Health Care Resource Utilization in Children.

Berry JG, Goodman DM, Coller RJ, Agrawal R, Kuo DZ, Cohen E, Thomson J, DeCourcey D, DeJong N, Agan A, Gaur D, Coquillette M, Crofton C, Houtrow A, Hall M

The Journal of pediatrics.. 2019 April 207 :169-175.e2. Epub 01/04/2019.

Chronic Medication Use in Children Insured by Medicaid: A Multistate Retrospective Cohort Study.

Feinstein JA, Hall M, Antoon JW, Thomson J, Flores JC, Goodman DM, Cohen E, Azuine R, Agrawal R, Houtrow AJ, DeCourcey DD, Kuo DZ, Coller R, Gaur DS, Berry JG

Pediatrics.. 2019 April 143 (4)Epub 1900 01 01.

The Medical Home for Children with Medical Complexity: Back to Basics.

Kuo DZ

The Journal of pediatrics.. 2019 March 206 :8-9. Epub 12/13/2018.

Psychosocial Factors in Children and Youth With Special Health Care Needs and Their Families.

Mattson G, Kuo DZ, ,

Pediatrics.. 2019 January 143 (1)Epub 1900 01 01.

Lessons learned from using an audience response system in a community setting for research data collection.

Bryant-Moore K, Haynes T, Kuo DZ, Stewart MK, Yeary KHK, Smith J, Turner J, Ounpraseuth ST, Sullivan G, McCoy S, Hudson B, Harris K

Public health nursing.. 2018 July 35 (4):353-359. Epub 03/22/2018.

Health-care spending and utilization for children discharged from a neonatal intensive care unit.

Kuo DZ, Berry JG, Hall M, Lyle RE, Stille CJ

Journal of perinatology : official journal of the California Perinatal Association.. 2018 June 38 (6):734-741. Epub 02/15/2018.

Care Coordination for Children With Medical Complexity: Whose Care Is It, Anyway?

Kuo DZ, McAllister JW, Rossignol L, Turchi RM, Stille CJ

Pediatrics.. 2018 March 141 (Suppl 3):S224-S232. Epub 1900 01 01.

The Pediatric Primary Care-Specialist Interface: A Call For Action.

Stille CJ, Honigfeld L, Heitlinger LA, Kuo DZ, Werner EJ

The Journal of pediatrics.. 2017 August 187 :303-308. Epub 06/05/2017.

Improving Asthma Care by Building Statewide Quality Improvement Infrastructure.

Dolins JC, Powell J, Wise E, Giuliano K, Stemmler P, Stubblefield W, White PC, Wiley J, Kuo DZ

Pediatrics.. 2017 August 140 (2)Epub 1900 01 01.

Care System Redesign for Preterm Children After Discharge From the NICU.

Kuo DZ, Lyle RE, Casey PH, Stille CJ

Pediatrics.. 2017 April 139 (4)Epub 03/01/2017.

Do Insurance Mandates Affect Racial Disparities in Outcomes for Children with Autism?

Doshi P, Tilford JM, Ounpraseuth S, Kuo DZ, Payakachat N

Maternal and child health journal.. 2017 February 21 (2):351-366. Epub 1900 01 01.

Quality of Primary Care for Children With Disabilities Enrolled in Medicaid.

Chien AT, Kuhlthau KA, Toomey SL, Quinn JA, Okumura MJ, Kuo DZ, Houtrow AJ, Van Cleave J, Landrum MB, Jang J, Janmey I, Furdyna MJ, Schuster MA

Academic pediatrics.. 2017 17 (4):443-449. Epub 03/09/2017.

Community Building Community: The Distinct Benefits of Community Partners Building Other Communities' Capacity to Conduct Health Research.

Turner J, Smith J, Bryant K, Haynes T, Stewart MK, Kuo DZ, Harris K, McCoy S, Lovelady N, Sullivan G, Yeary KH

Progress in community health partnerships : research, education, and action.. 2017 11 (1):81-86. Epub 1900 01 01.

Recognition and Management of Medical Complexity.

Kuo DZ, Houtrow AJ,

Pediatrics.. 2016 December 138 (6)Epub 1900 01 01.

Collaboration between Pediatric Primary Care Providers and Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists in Arkansas: Where to Start?.

Deepmala , Bass L, Jensen PS, Kuo DZ

The Journal of the Arkansas Medical Society.. 2016 November 113 (5):110-111. Epub 1900 01 01.

Disaster Preparedness in Families With Children With Special Health Care Needs.

Bagwell HB, Liggin R, Thompson T, Lyle K, Anthony A, Baltz M, Melguizo-Castro M, Nick T, Kuo DZ

Clinical pediatrics.. 2016 October 55 (11):1036-43. Epub 1900 01 01.

Trends in Health Care Spending for Children in Medicaid With High Resource Use.

Agrawal R, Hall M, Cohen E, Goodman DM, Kuo DZ, Neff JM, O'Neill M, Thomson J, Berry JG

Pediatrics.. 2016 October 138 (4)Epub 09/15/2016.

To what extent do community members' personal health beliefs and experiences impact what they consider to be important for their community-at-large?

Yeary KH, Ounpraseuth ST, Kuo DZ, Harris K, Stewart MK, Bryant K, Haynes T, Turner J, Smith J, McCoy S, Sullivan G

Journal of public health.. 2016 September 38 (3):502-510. Epub 09/10/2015.

Health Services and Health Care Needs Fulfilled by Structured Clinical Programs for Children with Medical Complexity.

Kuo DZ, Berry JG, Glader L, Morin MJ, Johaningsmeir S, Gordon J

The Journal of pediatrics.. 2016 February 169 :291-6.e1. Epub 10/31/2015.

Hospital Utilization Among Children With the Highest Annual Inpatient Cost.

Peltz A, Hall M, Rubin DM, Mandl KD, Neff J, Brittan M, Cohen E, Hall DE, Kuo DZ, Agrawal R, Berry JG

Pediatrics.. 2016 February 137 (2):e20151829. Epub 01/18/2016.

Comparison of Health Care Spending and Utilization Among Children With Medicaid Insurance.

Kuo DZ, Hall M, Agrawal R, Cohen E, Feudtner C, Goodman DM, Neff JM, Berry JG

Pediatrics.. 2015 December 136 (6):e1521-9. Epub 11/16/2015.

Development of the Children With Disabilities Algorithm.

Chien AT, Kuhlthau KA, Toomey SL, Quinn JA, Houtrow AJ, Kuo DZ, Okumura MJ, Van Cleave JM, Johnson CK, Mahoney LL, Martin J, Landrum MB, Schuster MA

Pediatrics.. 2015 October 136 (4):e871-8. Epub 1900 01 01.

Financial and employment impact of intellectual disability on families of children with autism.

Saunders BS, Tilford JM, Fussell JJ, Schulz EG, Casey PH, Kuo DZ

Families, systems & health : the journal of collaborative family healthcare.. 2015 March 33 (1):36-45. Epub 01/12/2015.

Variation in child health care utilization by medical complexity.

Kuo DZ, Melguizo-Castro M, Goudie A, Nick TG, Robbins JM, Casey PH

Maternal and child health journal.. 2015 January 19 (1):40-8. Epub 1900 01 01.

Summary of STARNet: Seamless Transitions and (Re)admissions Network.

Auger KA, Simon TD, Cooperberg D, Gay J, Kuo DZ, Saysana M, Stille CJ, Fisher ES, Wallace S, Berry J, Coghlin D, Jhaveri V, Kairys S, Logsdon T, Shaikh U, Srivastava R, Starmer AJ, Wilkins V, Shen MW

Pediatrics.. 2015 January 135 (1):164-75. Epub 12/08/2014.

Inequities in health care needs for children with medical complexity.

Kuo DZ, Goudie A, Cohen E, Houtrow A, Agrawal R, Carle AC, Wells N

Health affairs.. 2014 December 33 (12):2190-8. Epub 1900 01 01.

Financial and psychological stressors associated with caring for children with disability.

Goudie A, Narcisse MR, Hall DE, Kuo DZ

Families, systems & health : the journal of collaborative family healthcare.. 2014 September 32 (3):280-90. Epub 04/07/2014.

Changes in language services use by US pediatricians.

DeCamp LR, Kuo DZ, Flores G, O'Connor K, Minkovitz CS

Pediatrics.. 2013 August 132 (2):e396-406. Epub 07/08/2013.

Parent-reported outcomes of comprehensive care for children with medical complexity.

Kuo DZ, Robbins JM, Lyle RE, Barrett KW, Burns KH, Casey PH

Families, systems & health : the journal of collaborative family healthcare.. 2013 June 31 (2):132-41. Epub 1900 01 01.

Inpatient growth and resource use in 28 children's hospitals: a longitudinal, multi-institutional study.

Berry JG, Hall M, Hall DE, Kuo DZ, Cohen E, Agrawal R, Mandl KD, Clifton H, Neff J

JAMA pediatrics.. 2013 February 167 (2):170-7. Epub 1900 01 01.

Outcomes of children treated with tracheostomy and positive-pressure ventilation at home.

Com G, Kuo DZ, Bauer ML, Lenker CV, Melguizo-Castro MM, Nick TG, Makris CM

Clinical pediatrics.. 2013 January 52 (1):54-61. Epub 11/14/2012.

The impact of technology dependence on children and their families.

Mesman GR, Kuo DZ, Carroll JL, Ward WL

Journal of pediatric health care : official publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates & Practitioners.. 2013 27 (6):451-9. Epub 06/27/2012.

Family experiences and pediatric health services use associated with family-centered rounds.

Kuo DZ, Sisterhen LL, Sigrest TE, Biazo JM, Aitken ME, Smith CE

Pediatrics.. 2012 August 130 (2):299-305. Epub 07/09/2012.

Family-centered care: current applications and future directions in pediatric health care.

Kuo DZ, Houtrow AJ, Arango P, Kuhlthau KA, Simmons JM, Neff JM

Maternal and child health journal.. 2012 February 16 (2):297-305. Epub 1900 01 01.

Hospital charges of potentially preventable pediatric hospitalizations.

Lu S, Kuo DZ

Academic pediatrics.. 2012 12 (5):436-44. Epub 08/24/2012.

Association of family-centered care with improved anticipatory guidance delivery and reduced unmet needs in child health care.

Kuo DZ, Frick KD, Minkovitz CS

Maternal and child health journal.. 2011 November 15 (8):1228-37. Epub 1900 01 01.

A national profile of caregiver challenges among more medically complex children with special health care needs.

Kuo DZ, Cohen E, Agrawal R, Berry JG, Casey PH

Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine.. 2011 November 165 (11):1020-6. Epub 1900 01 01.

Associations of family-centered care with health care outcomes for children with special health care needs.

Kuo DZ, Bird TM, Tilford JM

Maternal and child health journal.. 2011 August 15 (6):794-805. Epub 1900 01 01.

Individual and practice characteristics associated with physician provision of recommended care for children with special health care needs.

Kuo DZ, Robbins JM, Burns KH, Casey PH

Clinical pediatrics.. 2011 August 50 (8):704-11. Epub 02/27/2011.

Characteristics of hospitalizations for patients who use a structured clinical care program for children with medical complexity.

Berry JG, Agrawal R, Kuo DZ, Cohen E, Risko W, Hall M, Casey P, Gordon J, Srivastava R

The Journal of pediatrics.. 2011 August 159 (2):284-90. Epub 03/22/2011.

Hospital-based comprehensive care programs for children with special health care needs: a systematic review.

Cohen E, Jovcevska V, Kuo DZ, Mahant S

Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine.. 2011 June 165 (6):554-61. Epub 1900 01 01.

Effect of hospital-based comprehensive care clinic on health costs for Medicaid-insured medically complex children.

Casey PH, Lyle RE, Bird TM, Robbins JM, Kuo DZ, Brown C, Lal A, Tanios A, Burns K

Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine.. 2011 May 165 (5):392-8. Epub 02/07/2011.

Children with medical complexity: an emerging population for clinical and research initiatives.

Cohen E, Kuo DZ, Agrawal R, Berry JG, Bhagat SK, Simon TD, Srivastava R

Pediatrics.. 2011 March 127 (3):529-38. Epub 02/21/2011.

Hospital utilization and characteristics of patients experiencing recurrent readmissions within children's hospitals.

Berry JG, Hall DE, Kuo DZ, Cohen E, Agrawal R, Feudtner C, Hall M, Kueser J, Kaplan W, Neff J

JAMA.. 2011 February 16305 (7):682-90. Epub 1900 01 01.

Using reminder/recall to improve immunization rates in Arkansas.

Kuo DZ, Wheeler JG

The Journal of the Arkansas Medical Society.. 2010 December 107 (7):130-1. Epub 1900 01 01.

Epstein-Barr virus-associated central nervous system lymphoproliferative disease in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome responsive to highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Kuo DZ, Milstone AM, Omokaro SO, Friedman AD, Karanjawala ZE, Borowitz M, Joyner ML, Halsey NA, Sibinga EM

Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.. 2008 May 146 (9):1476-8. Epub 1900 01 01.

Successful use of a primary care practice-specialty collaboration in the care of an adolescent with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Kuo DZ, Cheng TL, Rowe PC

Pediatrics.. 2007 December 120 (6):e1536-9. Epub 1900 01 01.

Pediatricians' use of language services for families with limited English proficiency.

Kuo DZ, O'Connor KG, Flores G, Minkovitz CS

Pediatrics.. 2007 April 119 (4):e920-7. Epub 03/19/2007.

Trust is a two-way street: lessons learned from a dying child.

Kuo DZ

Ambulatory pediatrics : the official journal of the Ambulatory Pediatric Association.. 2007 7 (2):150-2. Epub 1900 01 01.

Prediction of alpha-helices in proteins with the hydrophobic strip-of-helix template and distributions of other amino acids around the hydrophobic strip.

Vazquez SR, Kuo DZ, Salomon M, Hardy L, Lew RA, Humphreys RE

Archives of biochemistry and biophysics.. 1993 September 305 (2):448-53. Epub 1900 01 01.

Critical functional role of the COOH-terminal ends of longitudinal hydrophobic strips in alpha-helices of T4 lysozyme.

Rennell D, Poteete AR, Beaulieu M, Kuo DZ, Lew RA, Humphreys RE

The Journal of biological chemistry.. 1992 September 5267 (25):17748-52. Epub 1900 01 01.

Residues in the longitudinal, hydrophobic strip-of-helix relate to terminations and crossings of alpha-helices.

Vazquez SR, Kuo DZ, Bositis CM, Hardy LW, Lew RA, Humphreys RE

The Journal of biological chemistry.. 1992 April 15267 (11):7406-10. Epub 1900 01 01.