Key result
Structured pediatric-to-adult HCT programs optimize patient outcomes and offer opportunities for pharmacy staff involvement.
Why the study?
Pediatric-to-adult healthcare transition programs face challenges including unclear roles for interprofessional team members and factors influencing successful outcomes.
Structured pediatric-to-adult healthcare transition programs offer opportunities for pharmacist involvement to optimize medication-related knowledge and system navigation.
Pharmacists may integrate into pediatric-to-adult HCT programs; leaves open the need for outcome studies before practice change.
PURPOSE: An overview of the pediatric-to-adult healthcare transition (HCT) process, including stakeholders, challenges, and fundamental components that present opportunities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, is provided. SUMMARY: Pediatric-to-adult HCT programs should be longitudinal in nature, be patient focused, and be coproduced by patients, caregivers, and care team members. Educational components of HCT programs should include knowledge and skills in disease state management and self-care; safe and effective use of medications, as well as other treatment modalities; and healthcare system navigation, including insurance issues. Interprofessional involvement in HCT is encouraged; however, roles for each discipline involved are not clearly delineated in current guidelines or literature. Possible influencing elements in achieving successful pediatric-to-adult HCT outcomes include those that are related to patient and/or caregiver factors, clinician awareness, availability of resources, and ability to achieve financial sustainability. CONCLUSION: The use of structured pediatric-to-adult HCT programs is currently recommended to optimize patient and health-system outcomes. Given the importance of medication-related knowledge and healthcare system navigation skills to successful care transitions, there are opportunities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to contribute to HCT programs.
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Hobart et al. (2019) conducted a review in Pediatric-to-adult healthcare transition. Structured pediatric-to-adult healthcare transition programs was evaluated. Structured pediatric-to-adult healthcare transition programs are recommended to optimize patient and health-system outcomes, offering opportunities for pharmacist and pharmacy technician involvement.
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