Bridging the Transition Into Adult Health Care

Change Is Inevitable…With Health Care

The teen years are filled with school, responsibilities, and friends. Managing health and health care may come as an afterthought for some teens. For young people with a chronic disease, however, health is probably something they have needed to consider often. As teens move into young adulthood, they move from being treated by a pediatric doctor to being cared for by an adult doctor. That can create new challenges. So, it’s best to help them prepare and learn what they need to build healthy habits and eventually transition to adult care. 

Offer Support

The transition from a pediatric provider to an adult care provider may require independent decision-making. Young people may encounter new knowledge or skills that they aren’t familiar with. If a young person has special healthcare needs, they may need additional support. For example, teens may need to learn how to make an appointment. Or they may need coaching on taking notes between appointments so they remember their questions when they see their clinician. Maybe they need to understand different things to look out for than when they were younger. The list goes on. But many teens do not receive much support and may move into this new healthcare setting unprepared. Adults in their lives can support them as they get ready to navigate health care on their own. 

Preparation Is Protection, so Be Proactive

Carefully thinking through health-related choices and coming up with a plan helps make transitioning to an adult healthcare provider easier. That’s why the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia created “The BRIDGE” program (Building Readiness, Independence, and Direction for Growth and Engagement – BRIDGE). Patients at CHOP can find this information in their “MyCHOP” accounts. But it’s not necessary to be a CHOP patient or patient caregiver to benefit from a set of videos created to help both caregivers and young people consider different topics and issues that may arise while navigating healthcare changes. The videos start with health and health care and offer information and strategies on being a self advocate and representing one’s needs while gaining increased independence, managing medications, intimidating topics like handling insurance, expecting the unexpected, and more. 

Preparation now will allow young people to become effective self-advocates, and work towards their best health and their best selves.