GI Patients Moving to Adult Healthcare - Introduction

When you have a chronic health condition, leaving your pediatric team for an adult team can be sometimes be challenging and even stressful. Whether it's talking to your doctor about social issues, or learning about how to prepare to go away to college, watch our video series to hear from patients, doctors and nurse practitioners on some tips for how to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Transcript

GI Patients Moving to Adult Healthcare - Introduction

Faheem Johnson: I didn't directly feel like someone was like, you know, throwing me out, because, you know, everyone's always been warm and been empathetic here, but I kind of in my head knew that I couldn't stay at a children's hospital forever.

Anne Grant, MSN, RN: Transition is a process of getting a young person with a chronic disease ready and prepared to take on the challenges of the adult healthcare system.

Maggie Baldwin: I think in school, because you're becoming an adult, you're no longer that kid who doesn't know what's going on, anymore.

Jeff Baldwin, parent: We're looking at it as simply the natural evolution from one stage to another.

David Piccoli, MD: We want to prepare the parents, we want to prepare the patient, and we want to assure that we've communicated well with the physicians and nurses who are assuming the care.

Jeff Baldwin: They don't want to just, "Alright, you're 18, out." They want to help you.

Anil Rustgi, MD: So we come together in a very cohesive fashion to make sure that a lot of the hurdles that used to exist don't exist anymore. So that it's a very seamless transition for the patient, as well as their families.

Related Centers and Programs: Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition