Transition Task Force
What is the name of the article?
Transition Task Force: Early efforts towards comprehensive pediatric to adult transition services in an academic medical center
What was the goal of this study?
The goal of this study was to look at a CoP, named the Transition Task Force (TTF). The TTF is made up of health care professionals from a variety of departments at OHSU. A survey was sent to the members of the TTF about their experience in the CoP and how this affected their work in transition services.
What did we find?
Survey results showed that being part of the CoP changed most of the members’ practice or clinic process to better work on transition. Some challenges were finding health care professionals that can care for medically complex adults, and that there is not one transition plan that is a good fit across different parts of the university.
What did we learn?
A community of practice can be helpful in creating change in big organizations in areas like the transition from pediatric to adult health care services. Members of the TTF said that it has led to more talking, working together, and support on transition to adult care. Members have also said that the TTF needs long-term support from leaders to create transition programs that work well.
Why is this important?
Transitioning from pediatric to adult health care is a challenge that can lead to poor health, especially for many patients with medical complexity. The creation of a CoP that focuses on transition could create systems and services that lead to better health outcomes.
Who are the authors of the study?
Reem Hasan1, Lauren Maloney2, Kim Solondz3, Andrea Frank3 and Rhonda Eppelsheimer3
Authors are from: 1. Department of Internal Medicine; 2. School of Medicine; 3. Department of Pediatrics; Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
Hasan, R., Maloney, L., Solondz, K., Frank, A., & Eppelsheimer, R. (2020). Transition Task Force: Early efforts towards comprehensive pediatric to adult transition services in an academic medical center. Journal of Transition Medicine, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.1515/jtm-2020-0006
Key Words:
Community of Practice (CoP): A group of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do, and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly.
Pediatric to adult health care transition: Sometimes just called transition, this is the change from childhood to adult medical care, which usually happens between the ages of 18 and 21.
Medically complex adults: People over the age of 18 who have two or more health problems and need ongoing care.