Integrating transition readiness assessment into clinical practice: Adaptation of the UNC TRXANSITION index into the Cerner electronic medical record.

PURPOSE: To describe the process of developing, and evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of, an EMR-based transition readiness assessment. DESIGN AND METHODS: A Cerner-based version of the UNC TRxANSITION Index was implemented across four pediatric subspecialty clinics: epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease; type 1 diabetes, oncology survivorship. The feasibility was assessed by each's clinic's ability to meet form completion goals and their assessment rate. Acceptability was assessed via family refusal rate, a staff-completed feedback questionnaire, and whether the form was adopted into routine clinical care after completion of the pilot study. RESULTS: All clinics met form completion goals (N = 10/clinic). The assessment rate ranged from 66 to 100% across clinics. No families refused completion of the form. Most staff (70%) reported completing the form in <10 min. Staff reported on challenges experienced and provided recommendations to streamline administration and enhance clinical care. All staff reported the form helped them identify knowledge gaps in their patients. Two clinics continued using the form following completion of the pilot study. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation was most feasible in clinics that were well-staffed and had lengthier patient visits, however, time and staff resources were the biggest challenges to implementation across clinics. Based on staff feedback to improve efficiency and developmentally-tailor assessment, the form will be divided into Beginner Skills and Advanced Skills. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Integrating transition readiness assessment into the EMR has the potential to improve clinical care by facilitating staff's ability to efficiently identify knowledge gaps in their transition-aged patients and intervene.

Adult Provider Perspectives on Transition and Transfer to Adult Care: A Multi-Specialty, Multi-Institutional Exploration.

PURPOSE: To identify barriers that transcend multiple adult care specialties and identify potential solutions. DESIGN AND METHODS: Twenty-one adult care providers practicing in the specialty areas of internal medicine, family medicine, gastroenterology, endocrinology, and neurology participated in one of six semi-structured focus group interviews. Data were coded and analyzed according to the Socio-ecological Model of Adolescent/Young Adult Readiness for Transition (SMART). RESULTS: Three themes and one subtheme emerged from the data. These fell within the beliefs/expectations, knowledge, access/insurance, and relationships (subtheme) domains of the SMART model. Family beliefs/expectations regarding the provider role, difficulty accessing reliable information, and limited access to mental health and behavioral providers reportedly affect providers' ability to provide optimal health care. CONCLUSIONS: Adult providers identified several barriers affecting their ability to care for newly transferred patients. Increased education of families and improved methods of communication between providers were recommended. Barriers related to access and insurance are common and require larger systems-level collaborations between health care systems and payor sources. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Some recommendations (e.g., educating families on the distinct roles of the PCP vs. specialist, highlighting new treatment opportunities in adult care, conveying trust and endorsing the new provider), represent concrete steps pediatric providers can immediately take to improve transfer. Other steps will require forging bridges across the pediatric and adult care world to expand patient access to medical, mental health, and behavioral services.