Health Care Transition Practices in the T1D Exchange Quality Improvement Collaborative

Background: Implementation of a structured health care transition (HCT) process is associated with positive outcomes in population health, experience of care, and health care utilization. Objective: To describe pediatric and adult clinic HCT practices in the T1D Exchange Quality Improvement Collaborative (T1DX-QI). Methods: Got Transition’s Six Core Elements of HCT offer a structured approach to the phases of transition support: 1) transition and care policy, 2) tracking and monitoring, 3) transition readiness, 4) transition planning, 5) transfer of care, and 6) transfer completion. T1DX-QI institutions (n=53) were surveyed to examine the integration of the Six Core Elements into diabetes HCT practices. Results: The survey response rate was 94.3% (n=50 clinics; 33 pediatric, 17 adult). A majority of T1DX-QI pediatric clinics (72.7%, n=24) report having a HCT policy compared to 29.4% (n=5) of adult clinics. Among pediatric institutions, 45.4% (n=15) maintain a tracking system to identify transition-aged youth, 39.4% (n=13) formally assess HCT readiness, 52% (n=17) document and update a plan of care for transition and 27.3% (n=9) have a process in place to confirm successful transfer of care completion with adult diabetes providers. Approximately two-thirds of T1DX-QI pediatric institutions (63.6%, n=21) have a formal structured HCT program and 29% (n=6) of these HCT programs report incorporating all 6 elements. Conclusions: Data from T1DX-QI centers highlight opportunities to further enhance transition preparation and receivership for emerging adults with type 1 diabetes. The Six Core Elements offer a potential avenue to structure improvement initiatives since many diabetes clinics only partially incorporate these elements in current practice. Partnerships between pediatric and adult diabetes centers should be considered as part of quality improvement efforts to facilitate incorporation of challenging HCT elements such as transfer of care completion. Disclosure F.Malik: None. G.T.Alonso: None. O.Ebekozien: Advisory Panel; Medtronic, Research Support; Eli Lilly and Company, Dexcom, Inc. S.Corathers: None. T1dx-qi collaborative: n/a. J.Cases-villablanca: None. M.E.Hilliard: None. S.Lyons: None. L.M.Jacobsen: None. A.J.Roberts: None. A.Mucci: None. S.Agarwal: Advisory Panel; Medtronic, Consultant; Beta Bionics, Inc., Research Support; Abbott Diabetes, Dexcom, Inc. C.Demeterco-berggren: Speaker's Bureau; Glooko, Inc. Funding The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust