ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

  • Meetings
    • ACR Convergence 2024
    • ACR Convergence 2023
    • 2023 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • ACR Convergence 2022
    • ACR Convergence 2021
    • ACR Convergence 2020
    • 2020 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
    • 2018-2009 Meetings
    • Download Abstracts
  • Keyword Index
  • Advanced Search
  • Your Favorites
    • Favorites
    • Login
    • View and print all favorites
    • Clear all your favorites
  • ACR Meetings

Abstract Number: 160

Stepping Stones to Transition Smartly

Elizabeth Roth-Wojcicki1, Jan Lemke2, Sarah Thomson3, Sarah Liedtke4 and Kristi Cedars2, 1Pediatrics, Medical College of WI, Wauwatosa, WI, 2Rheumatology clinic, Children's Hospital of WI, Milwaukee, WI, 3Pediatric Rheumatology, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, 4Rheumatology clinic, Children's hospital of WI, Milwaukee, WI

Meeting: 2017 Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium

Keywords: Transition

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
Session Information

Date: Thursday, May 18, 2017

Title: Quality, Health Services and Education Research Poster Session

Session Type: Abstract Submissions

Session Time: 5:30PM-7:00PM

Background/Purpose:

Living with a rheumatic disease presents many challenges for adolescents. To help them meet these challenges and become healthy independent adults, teams need to foster an environment of comprehensive medical care which includes addressing transition. Transitioning adolescents to adult care is a complex process; which requires ongoing coordination and continuity of care. The Multidisciplinary team at a Midwest Rheumatology Center identified a need to develop a quality improvement initiative addressing transition to adult care to ensure a seamless transition for their patients.

Many childhood rheumatic conditions are lifelong; > 50% of youth with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) will have active disease as adults, requiring complex aggressive therapies. National surveys show that adolescents, parents, and young adults are not prepared to meet the challenges essential for transitioning to adult health care. Often as a result of navigating the change to adult healthcare services unprepared the health care of the young adults is compromised. Data from surveys on transition shows that without education regarding transition young adults have declining health, less than optimal quality of care, resulting in increased health care costs. Prior to instituting a formal quality improvement transition program the staff found many adolescents were not prepared to transition as evidenced by missed adult appointments, poor adherence to medications, not calling for refills, and overall lack of knowledge on key issues needed for a successful transition to the adult health care environment.

Methods:

Using the Got Transition model the team developed a formal transition program, starting with drafting a transition policy. This policy outlined a comprehensive educational process for preparing adolescents and their parent’s for the challenges in transitioning. All patients 16 years and older with a chronic rheumatic diagnosis were approached to participate. To begin they received a letter introducing the topic of transition. Next both the adolescent and parent were given a brief questionnaire assessing the teen’s knowledge of their chronic condition/treatment plan and how the adolescent feels they learn best. This information was integrated into an individualized education plan for the adolescent. Each adolescent received a personal health care binder with general information on transitioning as well as individualized educational materials on their diagnosis, and medications/therapies past and present. Counseling for Transition was added to the medical problem list, and a educational transition check list was started in the EMR. A summary pamphlet was developed with pertinent web resources. To engage use of social media a free medical app that mirrored the summary pamphlet was piloted.

Results:

 Early feedback has been positive; adolescents found the binders helpful and are using the medical app. Young adults who transitioned feel more prepared and confident at their first appointment.

Conclusion:

Transition is an ongoing process and taking small steps along the way helps ensure a seamless transfer to adult care.

Refernces: GotTransition.org


Disclosure: E. Roth-Wojcicki, None; J. Lemke, None; S. Thomson, None; S. Liedtke, None; K. Cedars, None.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Roth-Wojcicki E, Lemke J, Thomson S, Liedtke S, Cedars K. Stepping Stones to Transition Smartly [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2017; 69 (suppl 4). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/stepping-stones-to-transition-smartly/. Accessed .
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

« Back to 2017 Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/stepping-stones-to-transition-smartly/

Advanced Search

Your Favorites

You can save and print a list of your favorite abstracts during your browser session by clicking the “Favorite” button at the bottom of any abstract. View your favorites »

All abstracts accepted to ACR Convergence are under media embargo once the ACR has notified presenters of their abstract’s acceptance. They may be presented at other meetings or published as manuscripts after this time but should not be discussed in non-scholarly venues or outlets. The following embargo policies are strictly enforced by the ACR.

Accepted abstracts are made available to the public online in advance of the meeting and are published in a special online supplement of our scientific journal, Arthritis & Rheumatology. Information contained in those abstracts may not be released until the abstracts appear online. In an exception to the media embargo, academic institutions, private organizations, and companies with products whose value may be influenced by information contained in an abstract may issue a press release to coincide with the availability of an ACR abstract on the ACR website. However, the ACR continues to require that information that goes beyond that contained in the abstract (e.g., discussion of the abstract done as part of editorial news coverage) is under media embargo until 10:00 AM ET on November 14, 2024. Journalists with access to embargoed information cannot release articles or editorial news coverage before this time. Editorial news coverage is considered original articles/videos developed by employed journalists to report facts, commentary, and subject matter expert quotes in a narrative form using a variety of sources (e.g., research, announcements, press releases, events, etc.).

Violation of this policy may result in the abstract being withdrawn from the meeting and other measures deemed appropriate. Authors are responsible for notifying colleagues, institutions, communications firms, and all other stakeholders related to the development or promotion of the abstract about this policy. If you have questions about the ACR abstract embargo policy, please contact ACR abstracts staff at [email protected].

Wiley

  • Online Journal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Permissions Policies
  • Cookie Preferences

© Copyright 2025 American College of Rheumatology