Developing Transition Policies, Procedures, or Guidelines

Abstract

Program and institutional practices for transfer of emerging adults to adult-oriented providers and facilities vary widely and are influenced by the complexity or rarity of disease, availability of appropriately trained adult providers, resources within the pediatric institution, and governmental licensing requirements. Developing an institution-wide transfer policy requires extensive information gathering of these details for major disease category. Discussion of findings by a broadly multidisciplinary group of physicians, nurses, social workers, and administrators provides the foundation for agreement on basic principles of institutional transfer policy. After comparison with surveyed policies of similar institutions and related organizations, these principles should then be vetted through the institutional quality and safety committee structure. After executive approval, hospital staff must receive education on policy implementation. The policy should be disseminated widely with continual electronic access. Quality data should be gathered in preparation for policy review and revision on a regular cycle.