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Updated: Jun 4, 2025
Murine Renal Transplantation Procedure
Published on: July 10, 2009
Development of a transition program for pediatric patients with renal disease
Sahar Siddiqui1, Cortney Taylor Zimmerman2, Brittany Garza1
1Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Nephrology, 1102 Bates Ave., Ste. 245, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Insights
A new structured health care transition (HCT) program improved care for pediatric kidney disease patients moving to adult services. The two-step clinic and dedicated team enhanced patient self-management skills and provider satisfaction.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Pediatric Healthcare
- Health Services Research
Background:
- The transition from pediatric to adult healthcare presents significant challenges for patients with renal disease.
- Inadequate transition processes can exacerbate disease-related morbidity in young adults.
- A structured approach is needed to ensure continuity of care for these vulnerable patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and implement a structured health care transition (HCT) program for pediatric patients with kidney disease.
- To address the identified barrier of a non-standardized HCT process.
- To improve patient outcomes and satisfaction during the transition to adult care.
Main Methods:
- Utilized quality improvement methodology to establish an interdisciplinary transition team.
- Conducted a needs assessment to identify barriers to effective HCT.
- Implemented a joint, two-step transition clinic (pediatric and adult) with a standardized policy and feedback mechanisms.
Main Results:
- 27 patients completed the first step and 22 completed the second step of the transition clinic.
- The majority of patients (41%) had kidney transplants, with a median transition age of 20 years.
- 100% of patients received the transition policy and reported improved self-management skills; 100% of nephrologists were satisfied with the program.
Conclusions:
- A structured HCT program, developed with a dedicated team, was successfully established and well-received.
- This program represents a crucial advancement in standardizing care for pediatric kidney disease patients transitioning to adult healthcare.
- The findings highlight the program's effectiveness in enhancing patient preparedness and provider satisfaction.
Background:
The transition from pediatric to adult health care is challenging for patients with renal disease and inadequate transition can lead to increased disease-related morbidity. We developed a structured health care transition (HCT) program that includes a joint two-step transition clinic; the first step is the pediatric clinic and second step is the adult clinic.
Methods:
Quality improvement methodology was utilized to establish an interdisciplinary transition team and conduct a needs assessment. Lack of a standardized HCT program was identified as a primary barrier to HCT. We utilized transition team and other stakeholder input to implement a transition program that included a joint pediatric/adult two-step transition clinic. Various other components were developed, including a transition policy and patient and provider feedback surveys. A pilot group of patients with kidney disease participated in the program.
Results:
27 patients completed the "first step" and 22 patients completed the "second step" of the transition clinic. Median age at the time of transition was 20 years, with kidney transplant (41 %) as the major diagnosis. All patients (100 %) received the transition policy and reported that the transition team worked with them to gain skills to manage their health and plan for the future. Pediatric and adult nephrologists reported feeling satisfied (100 %) with the transition program.
Conclusion:
A structured transition program was established utilizing expertise of a dedicated transition team and was well received by participants. This program is a critical first step in addressing the gap in standardized care for transition for pediatric patients with kidney disease.
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