THURS-057 - Recommendations for Improving Individuals Living with Type 1 Diabetes’ Health Care Transition

Brief Abstract Summary: Discover patient and provider recommendations of ways to improve health care transition (HCT) processes for patients living with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). This narrative review examined studies to determine the effective and ineffective strategies that have been implemented for the HCT process. Patients advocated for early autonomy, consideration of special life circumstances, healthcare system support with HCT resources, and maintaining a collaborative relationship with their healthcare team. Providers encouraged using digital interventions, providing patient-centered care, collaborating with patients and family members, evaluating patients’ transition readiness, and disseminating best practices with other healthcare facilities. More HCT and quality improvement training are needed for patients and healthcare professionals.

Detailed abstract description: Introduction

Previous research has shown that an effective and supportive health care transition (HCT) from pediatric to adult care for individuals with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is important for management. However, limited studies exist that guide T1D patients and healthcare providers with recommendations for creating an organized HCT process.

Methods

This narrative review focused on articles published from 2011 through 2024 associated with the HCT experiences for T1D patients and providers. The search resulted in 16,000 articles; 17 articles fit the inclusion criteria (i.e., studies that described recommendations provided by adolescent and adult patients and providers about how to improve HCT processes). Data analysis included categorizing and summarizing overall findings based on patient and provider recommendations about the ineffective and effective techniques that were barriers and facilitators for creating an organized HCT process.

Results

Synthesized results were categorized into two overarching themes, each with subthemes: 1) Patients’ Recommendations for an Organized HCT with subthemes: 1a) Gain Autonomy Early, 1b) Consider Life Circumstances, 1c) Request Healthcare System Support, and 1d) Build and Sustain Relationship with Provider. and 2) Providers’ Recommendations for an Organized HCT with subthemes: 2a) Utilize Digital Interventions, 2b) Provide Tailored Care, 2c) Encourage Family Involvement, 2d) Effectively Communicate and Evaluate Transition Readiness, and 2e) Disseminate Findings with Other Healthcare Facilities.

Discussion

This narrative review synthesized existing literature on patients and providers’ perception of the best practices that facilitated a satisfactory HCT experience. Adolescents and adults living with T1D recognized that an organized HCT involves collaborative efforts with their family and healthcare team simultaneously. Patients encouraged other individuals in the T1D community to become self-sufficient with managing their condition, determine appropriate life transition discussions with their family and healthcare team, and continuously ask questions throughout the HCT process. Providers advocated for the importance of implementing digital tools, sustaining patient-centered care, and sharing HCT recommendations with other healthcare facilities to improve the HCT process. More research is needed for examining patients and providers’ perception of HCT experiences using primary data collection techniques while also exploring healthcare facilities’ methods of planning, implementing, and evaluating their HCT services. Additionally, healthcare facilities could consider providing more HCT training for patients and healthcare professionals and encourage quality improvement training for healthcare professionals.

Conclusion

Despite the importance of an organized HCT process, patients’ and providers’ HCT literacy needs improvement to increase patients’ self-efficacy and clinical workflow.