Improving Health Care Transition for Young Patients With Sickle Cell Disease Through Quality Network

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Hematology
• Quality Improvement Science
• Health Care Transition

Background:

• Effective transition from pediatric to adult healthcare is vital for young adults with sickle cell disease (SCD).
• Many pediatric SCD practices lack structured transition programs, impacting care continuity.
• This study addressed the need for improved transition services in SCD care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the implementation of quality improvement programs aimed at enhancing healthcare transition for SCD patients.
• To assess the impact of a structured approach on transition readiness and planning.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter observational quality improvement study involving 5 pediatric hematology centers in Florida.
• Utilized the Model for Improvement and plan-do-study-act cycles with virtual learning on the Got Transition framework.
• Monthly electronic health record (EHR) audits tracked readiness assessments and transition plan completion for patients aged 14-21.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in the aggregate percentage of eligible SCD patients with a readiness assessment (68.8% to 87.8%) and a transition plan (58.8% to 81.2%).
• These improvements were sustained over a 12-month period, demonstrating the effectiveness of the implemented strategies.
• Collective initiatives included staff education, proactive patient identification via EHRs, and standardized documentation processes.

Conclusions:

• Collaborative quality improvement efforts successfully enhanced healthcare transition programs for young adults with SCD.
• Key factors for sustained success included inter-center collaboration, staff education, proactive patient identification, and streamlined electronic documentation.
• The findings highlight the importance of systematic approaches to improve care continuity for this vulnerable population.