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Transitioning from Adolescent Care to Adult Care

According to the “A Consensus Statement on Health Care Transitions for Young Adults With Special Health Care Needs” adopted by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American College of Physicians –American Society of Internal Medicine, the goal of transition in health care for young adults with special health care needs is to “maximize lifelong functioning and potential through the provision of high-quality, developmentally appropriate health care services that continue uninterrupted as the individual moves from adolescence to adulthood.”

Special Edition on Youth Health Care Transitions –
The Georgia Pediatrician

Healthcare is a vast system that requires the guidance of a medical home to help families with children and especially children with special healthcare needs, to navigate. In 1998, the commentary entitled, A New Definition of Children With Special Health Care Needs was established in Pediatrics to ensure advocacy to guide public and community based programs and services to create program planning for this population. This definition was established as children with special healthcare needs are those children “who have or are at increased risk for a chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional condition and who also require health and related services of a type or amount beyond that required by children generally.”

Of special concern is the health care transition of youth and youth with special health care needs. This special edition of The Georgia Pediatrician was created through a collaboration with the Maternal and Child Health Section of the Georgia Department of Public Health with the support of primary care pediatricians, a young adult, and an adult specialty physician. Click here to view this special edition.  Information on tools and resources to support youth from transitioning from the pediatric model of care to the adult model of care such as Transition Policy examples for practices, Transition Readiness tools, and Coding for Transitions are discussed. If you have any questions about youth health care transitions, please contact Fozia Khan Eskew at the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics at feskew@gaaap.org.

Georgia Department of Public Health Transition Resources

Current Assessment of Health Care Transition (HCT) Activities

The Current Assessment of HCT is a qualitative self-assessment method that provides a snapshot of how far along individual clinicians, practices, or networks are in implementing the Six Core Elements. The HCT Process Measurement Tool is an objective scoring method that allows a clinician, practice, or network to assess progress in implementing the Six Core Elements. Got Transition also has feedback survey available for clinicians, youth/young adults, and parents/caregivers.

Got Transition

Got Transition ® is the federally funded national resource center on health care transition (HCT). Its aim is to improve transition from pediatric to adult health care through the use of evidence-driven strategies for health care professionals, youth, young adults, and their families.

Got Transition is a program of The National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health and is funded through a cooperative agreement from the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration.

The Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics is incorporated in the state of Georgia.