The MMS worked with Springfield pediatrician Matthew D. Sadof,
M.D., and Beverly L. Nazarian, M.D., of the Massachusetts Chapter
of the American Academy of Pediatrics, to evaluate potential
barriers that might impede young adults/children with special
health care needs from accessing adult-medicine physicians for
primary and specialty care.
An MMS-facilitated survey addressed two of six core action steps
necessary to improve the transition to adult-centered care among
this population: the identification of willing and able providers
and identification of core knowledge and skills required to care
for this population.
Key findings from the survey include the following:
Improved communication between pediatricians and
adult-medicine physicians is crucial.
More than three-quarters of respondents said they were very
comfortable/somewhat comfortable with taking care of young adult
patients with special health care needs.
The top barriers to caring for these patients are time,
knowledge, and availability of community resources. The top
barriers inhibiting physicians from accepting these patients into
their practices are time, reimbursement, and lack of available
assistance from non-physician office staff.
View a list of adult primary
care physicians willing to treat such patients in
transition.
Dr. Sadof said the survey identified a "coalition of the
willing," but he added that addressing the transition barriers will
require additional resources and ongoing effort.
