What is healthcare transition?
Healthcare transition is an individualized process used to address the comprehensive health care needs of children as they age into adulthood and is designed to maximize lifelong functioning and potential by providing patient-centered care during that transition (Rast et al., 2018).
Why does healthcare transition and healthcare plan improve outcomes?
Improved healthcare transition and comprehensive health care can improve the health outcomes of individuals with ASD. Yet, fewer than 10% of youth with ASD meet the national transition core outcome (Walsh et al., 2017). Young people with special health care needs, including autism, often have:
- more outpatient and inpatient hospital visits that are longer in mean duration,
- more emergency department visits,
- more primary care and psychiatric visits,
- more health care claims, and
- higher health care expenditures than their peers (Rast et al., 2018).
Transfer to Adult Care
What is a recommended healthcare transition timeline for providers?
Recommended Health Care Transition Timeline for Providers is as follows:
- Age 12: Make youth and family aware of transition policy
- Age 14: Initiate health care transition planning
- Age 16: Prepare youth and parents for adult model of care and discuss transfer
- Age 18: Transition to adult model of care
- Age 18-22: Transfer care to adult medical home and/or specialists with transfer package
- Age 23-26: Integrate young adults into adult care
Source: Got Transition?