Transitional care: A new model of care from young age to adulthood

Abstract

Introduction: Transition of care represents the transfer from child to adult care. An effective transition maintains continuity of care and presents better clinical outcomes. This process has assumed growing relevance, thanks to improved survivorship of chronic paediatric patients. Actually, there is no a one-size model fitting for all transitions, but each Service organizes its own clinical pathway.

Aim: The study proposes an organizational model for transition, differentiated according to patient complexity.

Methods: The working group discussed, through regular meetings, the appropriate transitional model for our Hospital. The working group defined a common scheme of transition and elaborated a synthetic document for patients. Then, the common model is adapted, through clinicians' contribution, for different diseases. The complexity assessment includes clinical data, nursing and social information.

Results: The working group defined a common model identifying the main information to be included and detailed in each transition report. The team defined two pathways based on patient's complexity. In case of good compensation and autonomous management, the adolescent is addressed towards standard transition process, a smoother transition from paediatric to adult care with direct connection among healthcare professionals. In case of complex clinical and/or social conditions, an Interdisciplinary Transition Group (ITG) is activated. The group preventively evaluates each patient in periodic meetings and provides a personalized planning of care. In order to define the complexity of a patient, clinical and social determinants are considered. Some diseases are considered complex by default, while others require ITG involvement in case of multiple comorbidities, severe clinical situation, concomitant social criticality and/or cognitive impairment.

Discussion: Transition of care represents an important phase in chronic diseases management. The proposed model assures a multidisciplinary approach, involving all specialists of both paediatric and adult teams. A key determinant of transition is information transmission. Then, the model proposes a common transition report format. Finally, a further perspective study is already in program, in order to assess clinical effectiveness.

Keywords: Adult care; Chronic disease; Pediatric care; Transition of care.