Suboptimal Transitions Research Articles

Reasons for Neonatal Presentations to Pediatric Emergency Departments in Catania: Multicentric Cross-Sectional Analysis and Exhaustive Review of the Literature.

This study aimed to characterize neonatal admissions to pediatric emergency departments (PEDs) in Catania, to analyze the primary pediatric conditions leading to these admissions, and to explore the association between the demographic characteristics of the population and the severity of their presentations. A retrospective analysis was conducted on neonates (aged <28 days) admitted to three PEDs in Catania between January 2015 and December 2019. Additionally, a comprehensive review of the literature on this topic was performed. A total of 5183 neonates presented during the study period, with a median age of 14 days at admission. The top three diagnoses were neonatal jaundice (15%), abdominal discomfort (12%), and upper airway inflammation (11%). The majority of cases were classified as non-urgent (green) at triage (59%). Overall, 1296 patients (25%) required hospitalization; 95% of those assigned a yellow triage color at admission required hospitalization. Only 33% of hospitalized patients were referred by parents, while the majority were referred by primary care pediatricians. The highest number of admissions occurred in August, while the peak in hospitalizations was in February. The majority of neonatal PED admissions are for non-acute conditions that do not require immediate medical attention. This concerning trend leads to increased workloads for PED staff, higher healthcare costs, and potential risks to neonates. Possible causes include insufficient caregiver knowledge, inadequate parental education, and suboptimal transition from hospital to primary care pediatric services.

Transitions of care for adolescents with disorders of gut-brain interaction.

Little is known about the experience of adolescents and young adults (AYA) with disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) who transition from pediatric to adult gastroenterology care. In this two-part study, we used quantitative and qualitative methods to: (1) assess incidence of optimal versus suboptimal transitions of care for AYA with DGBI, (2) characterize health and quality of life effects of the transition, and (3) identify barriers and facilitators for optimal transition of care. In Part 1, we conducted a retrospective review of AYA referrals to our adult neurogastroenterology clinic who had transitioned from pediatric gastroenterology care (N = 109, 17-23 years, 72% female). We collected demographic, psychosocial, and healthcare utilization data to determine rate and risk factors for suboptimal transitions. In Part 2, we recruited 24 AYA and parents (n = 19 AYA, n = 5 parents) for completion of a survey and semistructured interview, which was analyzed using validated rapid qualitative analysis method. In Part 1, 20% (22/109) of AYA met the criteria for suboptimal transition of care, which was associated with treatment adherence concern and functional impairment. In Part 2, we identified two principal themes: (1) AYA's health and quality of life are impacted during the transition, and (2) parental involvement and collaboration with pediatric gastrointestinal (GI) are facilitators to successful transitions, whereas access to care and practice style change are barriers. AYA with DGBI have high rates of suboptimal care transitions, affecting their health and quality of life. Our study highlights the need for a comprehensive approach that incorporates parents and pediatric providers.

Essential components of an effective transition from paediatric to adult neurologist care for adolescents with Duchenne muscular dystrophy; a consensus derived using the Delphi methodology in Eastern Europe, Greece and Israel

PurposeAn increasing number of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) now have access to improved standard of care and disease modifying treatments, which improve the clinical course of DMD and extend life expectancy beyond 30 years of age. A key issue for adolescent DMD patients is the transition from paediatric- to adult-oriented healthcare. Adolescents and adults with DMD have unique but highly complex healthcare needs associated with long-term steroid use, orthopaedic, respiratory, cardiac, psychological, and gastrointestinal problems meaning that a comprehensive transition process is required. A sub-optimal transition into adult care can have disruptive and deleterious consequences for a patient’s long-term care. This paper details the results of a consensus amongst clinicians on transitioning adolescent DMD patients from paediatric to adult neurologists that can act as a guide to best practice to ensure patients have continuous comprehensive care at every stage of their journey.MethodsThe consensus was derived using the Delphi methodology. Fifty-three statements were developed by a Steering Group (the authors of this paper) covering seven topics: Define the goals of transition, Preparing the patient, carers/parents and the adult centre, The transition process at the paediatric centre, The multidisciplinary transition summary – Principles, The multidisciplinary transition summary – Content, First visit in the adult centre, Evaluation of transition. The statements were shared with paediatric and adult neurologists across Central Eastern Europe (CEE) as a survey requesting their level of agreement with each statement.ResultsData from 60 responders (54 full responses and six partial responses) were included in the data set analysis. A consensus was agreed across 100% of the statements.ConclusionsIt is hoped that the findings of this survey which sets out agreed best practice statements, and the transfer template documents developed, will be widely used and so facilitate an effective transition from paediatric to adult care for adolescents with DMD.

Transition from Paediatric to adult health services: Aspirations and practices of human flourishing

ABSTRACT Background Transition from paediatric to adult care is challenging for youths with a chronic condition. Most transition programmes place high value in autonomy and independence. We undertook a qualitative study to: (1) identify the needs and aspirations of youths and (2) better understand the well-being and flourishing of youths. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with youths, parents of youths and healthcare professionals recruited from four clinics. Thematic analysis focused on: (1) perceptions of transition; (2) key aspects of human flourishing during transition; and (3) salient concerns with respect to the transition and dimensions of human flourishing. Results 54 interviews were conducted. Perceptions of transition clustered around: (1) apprehension about adult care; (2) lack of clarity about the transition process; (3) emotional attachment to paediatric healthcare professionals; (4) the significance of the coinciding transition into adulthood. Fourteen salient concerns (e.g., Knowledge and information about the transition, Parental involvement in healthcare) were identified with corresponding recommendations. Salient concerns related to important dimensions of human flourishing (e.g., environmental mastery, autonomy). Discussion and conclusion The flourishing of youths is affected by suboptimal transition practices. We discuss the implications of our findings for environmental mastery, contextual autonomy, and the holistic and humanistic aspects of transition.

Transition of Care in Children with Chronic Kidney Disease, Dialysis, and Transplantation.

Improvement in management of pediatric renal disorders has led to patient survival rates of 85-90%, increasing the number of adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with childhood onset chronic kidney disease (CKD) transitioning to adult care settings. Pediatric CKD patients differ from adults with CKD in view of early onset of disease (sometimes with fetal onset), different disease spectrum, the potential effect of CKD on neurodevelopment, and substantial involvement of parents in medical decision making. In addition to the usual challenges of emerging adulthood (graduation from school to work, independent living, peak in impulsivity and risk-taking behaviors), young adults with pediatric CKD need to learn to manage a serious medical condition independently. In kidney transplant patients, regardless of the age at transplantation, graft failure rates are higher during adolescence and young adulthood than at any other age. All pediatric CKD patients must move from a pediatric to adult-focused settings and this transition is a longitudinal process requiring collaboration and interactions of AYA patients, their families, providers, health care environment and agencies. Consensus guidelines have provided recommendations to pediatric and adult renal teams to enable successful transition. Suboptimal transition is a risk factor for poor adherence to treatment and unfavorable health outcomes. The authors discuss the process of transition as it applies to pediatric CKD patients and review challenges faced by patients/families, pediatric and adult nephrology teams. They provide some suggestions and available tools to optimize the transition of pediatric CKD patients to adult-oriented care.

HPR21 Implementation Challenges and Real-World Impacts of Switching Pediatric Vaccines: A Global Systematic Literature Review

Switching a vaccine for another on a pediatric national immunization program is often done for the betterment of society. Poorly implemented switches may introduce challenges, such as unaccounted for resource use consumed during the transitions or suboptimal transitions, negatively affecting vaccine access or producing unwanted health system impacts. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to evaluate the global evidence indexed in electronic databases on implementation challenges of pediatric vaccine switches and the real-world impact of those challenges.

Evaluation of a transitions clinic to bridge emergency department and primary care.

Suboptimal transitions from the emergency department (ED) to ambulatory settings contribute to poor clinical outcomes and unnecessary nonurgent ED utilization. Care transition clinics (CTCs) are a potential solution by providing ED follow-up and facilitating the bridge to longer-term primary care. The objective was to evaluate the implementation of an ED transitions clinic on 30-day ED revisits and hospital readmissions. Retrospective cross-sectional study. This study included adults 18 years and older discharged from the ED and reeferred to the CTC. Appointment attendance, follow-up time, and frequencies of care type provided were computed to assess clinic utilization. Rates of 30-day ED revisit and hospital admission were compared between completed and missed appointments using logistic regression. Between March 2021 and March 2022, 373 patients were referred to the CTC totaling 405 appointments. Half (53%) of appointments were completed with a median follow-up time of 4 days (IQR = [2, 7]). The most common care types provided were wound care (44%) and clinical problem management (33%), with wound care appointments more likely to be completed compared with clinical appointments (OR = 1.7, CI = [1.1, 2.8], p = .03). Patients who completed their CTC appointment were 50% less likely to return to the ED in 30 days compared with those who did not complete their appointment (OR = 0.51, CI = [0.27, 0.98], p < .05). No effect was seen for CTC appointment completion on hospital readmission. Transition clinics are a viable method to provide timely access to follow-up for patients discharged from the ED and may help reduce excess ED use for ambulatory care needs.

Navigator programme for hospitalised adults experiencing homelessness: protocol for a pragmatic randomised controlled trial

IntroductionPeople experiencing homelessness suffer from poor outcomes after hospitalisation due to systemic barriers to care, suboptimal transitions of care, and intersecting health and social burdens. Case management programmes have been...

Social determinants of health and the transition from advanced chronic kidney disease to kidney failure.

The transition from chronic kidney disease (CKD) to kidney failure is a vulnerable time for patients, with suboptimal transitions associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Whether social determinants of health are associated with suboptimal transitions is not well understood. This retrospective cohort study included 1070 patients with advanced CKD who were referred to the Ottawa Hospital Multi-Care Kidney Clinic and developed kidney failure (dialysis or kidney transplantation) between 2010 and 2021. Social determinant information, including education level, employment status and marital status, was collected under routine clinic protocol. Outcomes surrounding suboptimal transition included inpatient (versus outpatient) dialysis starts, pre-emptive (versus delayed) access creation and pre-emptive kidney transplantation. We examined the association between social determinants of health and suboptimal transition outcomes using multivariable logistic regression. The mean age and estimated glomerular filtration rate were 63years and 18ml/min/1.73m2, respectively. Not having a high school degree was associated with higher odds for an inpatient dialysis start compared with having a college degree {odds ratio [OR] 1.71 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-2.69]}. Unemployment was associated with higher odds for an inpatient dialysis start [OR 1.85 (95% CI 1.18-2.92)], lower odds for pre-emptive access creation [OR 0.53 (95% CI 0.34-0.82)] and lower odds for pre-emptive kidney transplantation [OR 0.48 (95% CI 0.24-0.96)] compared with active employment. Being single was associated with higher odds for an inpatient dialysis start [OR 1.44 (95% CI 1.07-1.93)] and lower odds for pre-emptive access creation [OR 0.67 (95% CI 0.50-0.89)] compared with being married. Social determinants of health, including education, employment and marital status, are associated with suboptimal transitions from CKD to kidney failure.

ISPAD Clinical Practice Consensus Guidelines 2022: Diabetes in adolescence.

ISPAD Clinical Practice Consensus Guidelines 2022: Diabetes in adolescence.

Patient and provider perceptions of a community-based accompaniment intervention for adolescents transitioning to adult HIV care in urban Peru: a qualitative analysis.

IntroductionAdolescents living with HIV (ALWH) experience higher mortality rates compared to other age groups, exacerbated by the suboptimal transition from paediatric to adult HIV care, during which decreased adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and unsuppressed viremia are frequent. Care transition—a process lasting months or years—ideally prepares ALWH for adult care and can be improved by interventions that are youth‐friendly and address psychosocial issues affecting ART adherence; however, such interventions are infrequently operationalized. Community‐based accompaniment (CBA), in which laypeople provide individualized support and health system navigation, can improve health outcomes among adults with HIV. Here, we describe patient and provider perceptions of a novel HIV CBA intervention called “PASEO” for ALWH in Lima, Peru.MethodsPASEO consisted of six core elements designed to support ALWH during and after the transition to adult HIV care. During 2019–2021, community‐based health workers provided tailored accompaniment for ALWH aged 15–21 years over 9 months, after which adolescent participants were invited to provide feedback in a focus group or in‐depth interview. HIV care personnel were also interviewed to understand their perspectives on PASEO. A semi‐structured interview guide probing known acceptability constructs was used. Qualitative data were analysed using a framework analysis approach and emergent themes were summarized with illustrative quotes.ResultsWe conducted five focus groups and 11 in‐depth interviews among N = 26 ALWH and nine key‐informant interviews with HIV care personnel. ALWH participants included males, females and one transgender female, and those with both early childhood and recent HIV infection. ALWH praised PASEO, attributing increased ART adherence to the project. Improved mental health, independence, self‐acceptance and knowledge on how to manage their HIV were frequently cited. HIV professionals similarly voiced strong support for PASEO. Both ALWH and HIV professionals expressed hope that PASEO would be scaled. HIV professionals voiced concerns regarding financing PASEO in the future.ConclusionsA multicomponent CBA intervention to increase ART adherence among ALWH in Peru was highly acceptable by ALWH and HIV programme personnel. Future research should determine the efficacy and economic impact of the intervention.

Comprehensive Onboarding and Orientation to Support Newly Hired Faculty in a Nursing Program.

Nursing programs are challenged with retaining nurse faculty due to many complex factors, one being the problem of suboptimal transition to the role. The purpose of this project was to assess the impact of an onboarding and orientation program, the Teaching Excellence Program (TEP), on the transition of newly hired nurse faculty. Program assessment data, including quantitative and qualitative measures of 14 participants' needs and experiences, were collected over one academic year. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test found no discernible difference between the preprogram and postprogram survey responses. Qualitatively, participants reported positive experiences with the TEP, highlighting the value of being in a cohort that created a sense of belonging within the college and university. The inclusion of programming such as the TEP can be used as a recruitment and retention tool, especially as we navigate faculty shortages and develop clinicians as faculty members.

Defining Minimum Necessary Communication During Care Transitions for Patients on Antihyperglycemic Medication: Consensus of the Care Transitions Task Force of the IPRO Hypoglycemia Coalition.

IntroductionAntihyperglycemic agents are significant contributors to adverse drug events, responsible for emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and death. Nationally, the rate of serious hypoglycemic events associated with these agents remains high despite widespread efforts to improve drug safety. Transitions of care between healthcare settings can lead to communication challenges between care professionals and increase the risk of adverse drug events. System-based improvements are needed to assure the safe transitions for patients with diabetes who are on antihyperglycemic agents. The objective of this study was to develop a consensus list of requisite elements that should be communicated between care settings during transitions of patients who are prescribed antihyperglycemic agents.MethodsThe Island Peer Review Organization (IPRO) Hypoglycemia Coalition identified suboptimal transitions of care as a barrier to improving patient safety and quality of diabetes care. The Coalition formed a multidisciplinary Task Force with experts in the field of diabetes care. The Task Force created a draft list of requisite communication elements through literature review and deliberation on monthly conference calls. A blinded iterative Delphi process was subsequently performed to generate a consensus list of requisite communication elements that participating experts agreed were necessary to safely and effectively assume the management of patients with diabetes upon care transitions.ResultsThe Task Force completed a series of four iterative polls from September 2015 to August 2016, resulting in a final list of 22 requisite communication elements (the Diabetes Management Discharge Communication List), with the elements conceptually categorized into three domains: diagnosis and treatment, factors affecting glycemic control or patient risk, and patient self-management.ConclusionsThe Diabetes Management Discharge Communication List provides an initial framework for the development of diabetes-specific resources to improve clinical communication between care settings.

Transition from child and adolescent mental health services to adult mental health services: children in care and adopted children

AimsMental health transition-related disengagement is a major public health problem. This study aims to review children in care (CIC) and adopted children's transitions from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to adult mental health services (AMHS). This study aims to illustrate the often overlooked complexities that are associated with this population's transitions.It is hypothesised that this population is at an increased risk for disengagement post-transition. Such is hypothesised as a result of the population's increased prevalence of complex mental health problems, neuro-developmental needs and developmental trauma. This population would benefit from a transition (optimal), as opposed to a transfer of care (suboptimal).MethodThis retrospective case study included young people from Lewisham CAMHS's team for looked after and adopted children. Optimal transition was evaluated using four criteria: continuity of care, parallel care, a transition planning meeting and information transfer.ResultA total of 34 cases (male = 14, female = 20) were included, 88% of which were CIC (12% were adopted children). 85% of the cases included reports of at least one form of abuse and/or neglect. 59% of the cases were categorised as having more than one diagnostic group of mental health problems.30% (n = 11) of the cases were discharged and were not recorded to have re-engaged with Lewisham AMHS. 12% of the cases had an outcome as 'unknown' due to miscellaneous reasons.Only 18% (n = 6) of the cases had an ‘optimal’ transition. 18% (n = 6) had a suboptimal transfer and of those cases, 66% (n = 4) did not engage with AMHS beyond three months post-transfer. 21% (n = 7) were re-referred to Lewisham AMHS after being discharged from CAMHS. None of the re-referred cases engaged with AMHS post-referral.ConclusionIn conclusion, these findings demonstrate that this population is highly complex and can often experience suboptimal transitions from CAMHS to AMHS. Anything less than an 'optimal' transition yields a low ratel of therapeutic engagement. Recommendations for clinical practice includes an extended period of ‘overlap time’ between CAMHS to AMHS for CIC and adopted children. This overlap period will enable mental health practitioners to provide more informed and consistent support that incorporates the needs of CIC and adopted children. Such a provision will enhance therapeutic engagement and subsequently, promote better outcomes for CIC and adopted children. These findings have important resource implications for both CAMHS and AMHS teams.

Information Sharing Practices Between US Hospitals and Skilled Nursing Facilities to Support Care Transitions

Patient transitions from hospitals to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) require robust information sharing. After a decade of investment in health information technology infrastructure and new incentives to promote hospital-SNF coordination in the US, the current state of information sharing at this critical transition is unknown. To measure the completeness, timeliness, and usability of information shared by hospitals when discharging patients to SNFs, and to identify relational and structural characteristics associated with better hospital-SNF information sharing. Survey of 500 SNFs from a US nationally representative sample (265 respondents representing 471 hospital-SNF pairs; response rate of 53.0%) that collected detailed data on information sharing that supports care transitions from each of the 2 hospitals from which they receive the largest volume of patient referrals. Survey administration occurred between January 2019 and March 2020. Overall assessment of information completeness, timeliness, and usability using 5-point Likert scales. Detailed measures, including (1) completeness-routine sharing of 23 specific information types; (2) timeliness-how often information arrived after the patient; and (3) usability-whether information was duplicative, extraneous, or not tailored to SNF needs. In addition, 8 relational characteristics (eg, shared staffing, collaborative meetings, and referral volume) and 10 structural characteristics (eg, size, ownership, and staffing) were assessed as potential factors associated with better information sharing. Of 471 hospital-SNF pairs, 64 (13.5%) reported excellent performance on all 3 dimensions of information sharing, whereas 141 (30.0%) were at or below the mean performance on all dimensions. Social status (missing in 309 pairs [65.7%]) and behavioral status (missing in 319 pairs [67.7%]) were the most common types of missing information. Receipt of hospital information was delayed, sometimes (159 pairs [33.8%]) or often (77 pairs [16.4%]) arriving after the patient. In total, 358 pairs [76.0%] reported at least 1 usability shortcoming. Having a hospital clinician on site at the SNF was associated in multivariate analysis with more complete (odds ratio, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.07-2.78; P = .03), timely (odds ratio, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.08-2.88; P = .02), and usable (odds ratio, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.02-2.63; P = .04) information sharing. Hospital accountable care organization participation was associated with more timely information sharing (odds ratio, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.13-3.14; P = .02). In this study, US SNFs reported significant shortcomings in the completeness, timeliness, and usability of information provided by hospitals to support patient transitions. These shortcomings are likely associated with a suboptimal transition experience. Shared clinicians represent a potential strategy to improve information sharing but are costly. New payment models such as accountable care organizations may offer a more scalable approach but were only associated with more timely sharing.

Predicting Suboptimal Transitions in Adolescents With Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) are at risk for disease exacerbations and increased health care utilization around the time of transition to adult care. Our aim was to identify risk factors predictive of a suboptimal transition for AYA with inflammatory bowel disease. We performed a retrospective chart review of patients with pediatric inflammatory bowel disease transferred to adult care from our institution in 2016 and 2017, recording demographic, psychosocial, and disease-specific data. Post-transfer data were obtained via the health care information exchange from the adult provider within our electronic medical record. We defined suboptimal transition as either a return to pediatric care or requiring care escalation within 1 year of transfer. Out of 104 subjects 37 (36%) were found to have had a suboptimal transition. Our models suggest that a suboptimal transition is associated with several risk factors including any mental health diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] = 4.15; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.18-14.59), history of medication nonadherence (OR = 5.15 [95% CI: 1.52-17.42]), public insurance (OR = 6.60 [95% CI: 1.25-34.96]), higher Physician Global Assessment score at time of transition (OR = 6.64 [95% CI: 1.60-27.58], and short Pediatric Crohn Disease Activity Index scores (OR = 1.17 [95% CI: 1.03-1.33]). Higher hemoglobin levels at transition were protective (OR = 0.69 [95% CI: 0.48-0.98]). Age at time of transition, disease duration, and medication type at transition were not found to be associated with transition outcomes. AYA with public insurance, a mental health history, medication nonadherence, and evidence of active disease may be at greater risk for suboptimal and poor health outcomes at transition.

Our life at home: Photos from families inform discharge planning for medically complex children.

Infants with medical complexity are increasingly cared for at home, creating unique challenges for their caregivers. The sickest of these are those with chronic critical illness (CCI). These infants' medical fragility and resource-intensive needs puts them at increased risk for suboptimal transitions from hospital- to home-based care. It is unclear whether, and if so, to what extent clinicians gather and use knowledge of a family's home context during discharge planning. This study is a pilot of a novel program, using Photovoice methodology, which aims to record and reflect the experience of caring for a child with CCI at home from caregivers' perspectives and to provide direct feedback to inpatient discharging clinicians, with the goal of increasing awareness of (a) the importance of home context and (b) current discharge limitations. Through photographs, parents described the importance of developing new routines, learning how to be a family, the impact of medical technology on nearly all aspects of everyday life, the critical role played by clinicians during the transition home, and feelings of social stigma and isolation. Clinicians, in turn, learned about gaps in discharge planning and the value of making families part of the decision-making team. They also found meaning in seeing the children they had cared for doing well at home, which subsequently bolstered enthusiasm for their job. Findings from this pilot study highlight the importance of understanding the lived experience of families caring for medically complex children at home and suggest that this knowledge can be used to address gaps in the transition home.

\u201cTransition from children\u2019s to adult services for adolescents/young adults with life-limiting conditions: developing realist programme theory through an international comparison\u201d

BackgroundManaging transition of adolescents/young adults with life-limiting conditions from children’s to adult services has become a global health and social care issue. Suboptimal transitions from children’s to adult services can lead to measurable adverse outcomes. Interventions are emerging but there is little theory to guide service developments aimed at improving transition. The Transition to Adult Services for Young Adults with Life-limiting conditions (TAYSL study) included development of the TASYL Transition Theory, which describes eight interventions which can help prepare services and adolescents/young adults with life-limiting conditions for a successful transition. We aimed to assess the usefulness of the TASYL Transition Theory in a Canadian context to identify interventions, mechanisms and contextual factors associated with a successful transition from children’s to adult services for adolescents/young adults; and to discover new theoretical elements that might modify the TASYL Theory.MethodsA cross-sectional survey focused on organisational approaches to transition was distributed to three organisations providing services to adolescents with life-limiting conditions in Toronto, Canada. This data was mapped to the TASYL Transition Theory to identify corresponding and new theoretical elements.ResultsInvitations were sent to 411 potentially eligible health care professionals with 56 responses from across the three participating sites. The results validated three of the eight interventions: early start to the transition process; developing adolescent/young adult autonomy; and the role of parents/carers; with partial support for the remaining five. One new intervention was identified: effective communication between healthcare professionals and the adolescent/young adult and their parents/carers. There was also support for contextual factors including those related to staff knowledge and attitudes, and a lack of time to provide transition services centred on the adolescent/young adult. Some mechanisms were supported, including the adolescent/young adult gaining confidence in relationships with service providers and in decision-making.ConclusionsThe Transition Theory travelled well between Ireland and Toronto, indicating its potential to guide both service development and research in different contexts. Future research could include studies with adult service providers; qualitative work to further explicate mechanisms and contextual factors; and use the theory prospectively to develop and test new or modified interventions to improve transition.

Optimizing emergency department care transitions to outpatient settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Suboptimal transitions from the emergency department (ED) to outpatient settings can result in poor care continuity, and subsequently higher costs to the healthcare system. We aimed to systematically review care transition interventions (CTIs) for adult patients to understand how effective ED-based CTIs are in reducing return visits to the ED and increasing follow-up visits with primary care physicians. We searched multiple databases and identified eligible published RCTs of ED-based CTIs affecting outpatient follow-up rates, ED readmission and hospital admission. Two independent authors reviewed titles and abstracts for potential inclusion and selected studies for full review. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. ED-based CTIs were classified using a care continuity framework. Our search generated 28,807 articles; 112 were selected for full-text review. Data were abstracted from 42 articles that met inclusion criteria. Pooling data from 20 studies (n=8178 patients) found a relative increase in outpatient follow-up with ED-based CTIs compared to routine care (odds ratio 1.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.43, 2.24). However, ED-based CTIs (20 studies, n=8048 patients) had no significant effect on ED readmissions (odds ratio 1.02, 95% CI 0.87, 1.20]) or hospital admission after ED discharge (13 studies, n=5742 patients) (odds ratio 0.99, 95% CI 0.86, 1.14) when compared to routine care. Twenty-two studies encompassed CTIs supporting all three functions of care continuity (information, communication and coordination). ED-based CTIs do not appear to reduce ED revisit or hospital admission after ED discharge but are effective in increasing follow-up.

Protocol for the development and validation procedure of the managing the link and strengthening transition from child to adult mental health care (MILESTONE) suite of measures

BackgroundMental health disorders in the child and adolescent population are a pressing public health concern. Despite the high prevalence of psychopathology in this vulnerable population, the transition from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS) has many obstacles such as deficiencies in planning, organisational readiness and policy gaps. All these factors contribute to an inadequate and suboptimal transition process. A suite of measures is required that would allow young people to be assessed in a structured and standardised way to determine the on-going need for care and to improve communication across clinicians at CAMHS and AMHS. This will have the potential to reduce the overall health economic burden and could also improve the quality of life for patients travelling across the transition boundary. The MILESTONE (Managing the Link and Strengthening Transition from Child to Adult Mental Health Care) project aims to address the significant socioeconomic and societal challenge related to the transition process. This protocol paper describes the development of two MILESTONE transition-related measures: The Transition Readiness and Appropriateness Measure (TRAM), designed to be a decision-making aide for clinicians, and the Transition Related Outcome Measure (TROM), for examining the outcome of transition.MethodsThe TRAM and TROM have been developed and were validated following the US FDA Guidance for Patient-reported Outcome Measures which follows an incremental stepwise framework. The study gathers information from service users, parents, families and mental health care professionals who have experience working with young people undergoing the transition process from eight European countries.DiscussionThere is an urgent need for comprehensive measures that can assess transition across the CAMHS/AMHS boundary. This study protocol describes the process of development of two new transition measures: the TRAM and TROM. The TRAM has the potential to nurture better transitions as the findings can be summarised and provided to clinicians as a clinician-decision making support tool for identifying cases who need to transition and the TROM can be used to examine the outcomes of the transition process.Trial registrationMILESTONE study registration: ISRCTN83240263 Registered 23-July-2015 - ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03013595 Registered 6 January 2017.