Proceedings: Persepectives on adolescent medicine: concepts and program design

The concepts and goals of a program in adolescent medicine should include development of a capability to focus on current health needs of youth in a variety of settings; to plan clinical services to meet those needs with the flexibility necessary to respond to changing future requirements; and to deliver service within such a context while simulataneously creating a milieu conducive to education and investigation into the very process and definition of adolescence. The Division of Adolescent Medicine at Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center was designed 7 years ago to fulfill these goals and consequently may serve others as a functional model for health care delivery to teenagers. The Division is comprised of: (1) a 37 bed in-patient unit; (2) a hospital-based ambulatory program including general diagnostic and follow-up services, as well as a speciality service capability in the areas of gynecology and family planning, cardiology, gastroenterology and nutrition; (3) primary care health services within teenage dentention and prison facilities; (4) addictive disease diagnostic and treatment programs; (5) school health programs from intermediate school through college levels, and (6) the division also performs supportive and consultative functions for a variety of community-based agencies. Within the programatic design approximately 70,000 adolescents have been served. The cornerstone of the educational and investigative efforts has been the concept that all the above six functional units are clinical laboratories and classrooms so that training and research activities are integral parts of each of the service areas. This program design is continually undergoing revision and refinement so as to remain ever-responsive to new and emerging problems to meet additional training demands and, most importantly, to permit and encourage creativity and growth patients and staff.