Health-care Transition: A Vital Part of Care, Growth, and Change for Pediatric Patients

Preparing all youth for the transition to adult-oriented care, adulthood itself, and a greater responsibility for their own health and health-care is an essential part of pediatric care. This process, typically described as health-care transition, can occur throughout ongoing pediatric health-care to prepare patients for transfer to an adult clinician and integration into adult care. Gaps remain in practice and in outcomes research regarding health-care transition. This review discusses recent literature, details best practices, and recommends guidance and tools to assist pediatric clinicians in providing a smooth transition process and a successful transfer to adult care for youth with and without special health-care needs.

Falling Through the Cracks: The Current Gap in the Health Care Transition of Patients With Kawasaki Disease

Background Health care transition (HCT) is a period of high vulnerability for patients with chronic childhood diseases, particularly when patients shift from a pediatric to an adult care setting. An increasing number of patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) who develop medium and large coronary artery aneurysms (classified by the American Heart Association according to maximal internal coronary artery diameter Z‐scores ≥5 and ≥10, respectively) are becoming adults and thus undergoing an HCT. However, a poor transition to an adult provider represents a risk of loss to follow‐up, which can result in increasing morbidity and mortality. Methods and Results This scientific statement provides a summary of available literature and expert opinion pertaining to KD and HCT of children as they reach adulthood. The statement reviews the existing life‐long risks for patients with KD, explains current guidelines for long‐term care of patients with KD, and offers guidance on assessment and preparation of patients with KD for HCT. The key element to a successful HCT, enabling successful transition outcomes, is having a structured intervention that incorporates the components of planning, transfer, and integration into adult care. This structured intervention can be accomplished by using the Six Core Elements approach that is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American College of Physicians. Conclusions Formal HCT programs for patients with KD who develop aneurysms should be established to ensure a smooth transition with uninterrupted medical care as these youths become adults.