Member May: Growing Pains: Transitioning individuals with Spinal Cord Disease from Pediatric to Adult Care-Session Recording

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The video discusses the challenges of transitioning pediatric spina bifida and spinal cord injury patients to adult care. The panel consists of pediatric and adult rehabilitation doctors who share their experiences and models for facilitating these transitions. Key issues include the complexity of transitioning, often described as "crazy hard," and barriers like insurance restrictions and the availability of adult providers comfortable with congenital conditions like spina bifida. <br /><br />Successful transition involves early preparation, ideally starting in teenage years, to encourage patient independence. Practices such as having a consistent healthcare provider through transition, using transition readiness checklists, and providing a medical summary are emphasized. Institutions may use various models to ease the transition, such as creating transition clinics or involving adult providers early. <br /><br />The discussion also highlights the difference in care models between pediatric and adult systems, such as the lack of multi-disciplinary "one-stop" clinics in adult care, and the need for patients to take ownership of their care as adults. Resources from organizations like the Spina Bifida Association and the importance of advocacy for insurance coverage are also discussed.

Keywords

spina bifida

spinal cord injury

transition to adult care

pediatric rehabilitation

adult providers

insurance barriers

transition readiness

healthcare models

patient independence