Transition Care

Yesterday I read an interesting blog piece about a patient struggling with the transition to adult care.  As a Med-Peds physician, I am acutely aware of this issue and attempts to improve such processes.  Our institution has a team that specifically addresses transition patients, and helps ease the move to adult care.  Here at the Indiana University School of Medicine, it is called the CYACC clinic, or the Center for Youth and Adults with Conditions of Childhood.  CYACC’s mission is to steer youth with special health care needs towards a successful adult life.  Some of my Med-Peds colleagues at Indiana University care for patients in this clinic, specifically Mary Ciccarelli, Katie Weber and Jason Woodward.  Although I personally am not involved in this clinic, I have worked with many of the people there, and feel that our institution is lucky to have health care personnel dedicated to this particular patient population.

There are other institutions which have similar clinics; a few examples include Baylor and Christiana Care in Delaware, to name just a few.  I do believe that Med-Peds physicians are a natural fit for helping manage such patients in their transition journey (and are the main drivers who direct these clinics).  Specific teams (which include other disciplines besides physicians) such as CYACC are wonderful for guiding transition patients through the health care maze that clearly exists.  By highlighting these services and serving patients, patient care can be optimized, and patients can be prepared for next steps towards independent adult life.

I am curious how many patients are aware of clinics like CYACC, and whether such a clinic exists where they live.  Please comment.