title: Multidisciplinary Support for Healthcare Transitioning Across an Urban Healthcare Network.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A successful transition from pediatric to adult oriented health care is a vital process in maintaining a patient-centered medical home for youth with special health care needs (YSHCNs). We assessed practices of pediatric providers who transition YSCHNs to adult-oriented medical care in a large urban academic healthcare network.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional Web-based survey was distributed to 376 generalist and subspecialist pediatric providers. Survey assessed provider-reported utilization of 11 Essential Steps adapted from the 2002 Consensus Statement on Health Care Transitions for YSHCNs, and recent transitioning literature. Compliance score (CS11) was calculated as a sum of steps completed. Additional items assessed knowledge of transitioning literature and respondent demographics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Survey achieved a 28% response rate (n=105), of whom 84 reported assisting transitioning YSHCNs. Only 16.7% of these respondents were compliant with 7 or more of the 11 Essential Steps. Respondents who identified social work or nursing were more likely to have CS11 scores ≥7 compared to those without and were more likely to be compliant with specific steps.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found limited and incomplete utilization of recommended transitioning steps for YSHCNs by pediatric providers within a large urban healthcare network. Access to support from social work and nursing was associated with greater utilization of specific recommended steps, and with more optimal compliance. Further research needs to assess the transitioning practices of all members of the multidisciplinary team and whether operationalizing healthcare transition for YSHCNs as a multidisciplinary activity impacts the transitioning process and patient outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Bronx, NY; Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY. Electronic address: ldavidso@montefiore.org.
authors.forename: Lynn F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Bronx, NY; Department of Social Work, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT.
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.affiliation: Pediatrics, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Bronx, NY; Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY.
authors.forename: Ellen J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Silver
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000458:organization & administration; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D060305:Transition to Adult Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Nursing; Physician's practice patterns; Social work; Special health care needs; Transition to adulthood; Youth