STEP’s Lunchtime Leaders Webinar Series: Transition from Pediatric to Adult Healthcare: Issues and Strategies

For any young person moving into adulthood, transitioning from a pediatric to an adult healthcare system can be challenging. This process can be even more challenging for young people with disabilities, who may not have had many opportunities to speak for themselves or discuss their disabilities and health issues.

The parental role changes, too. During the pediatric years, much of the physician visit is focused on their concerns, because pediatrics is a family-centered practice. In adult care, the focus is on the individual; the young person sees the physician by him or herself, and if parents attend the visit, they’re expected to remain in the waiting room unless otherwise requested by the young adult.

Join Dr. David Wood of East Tennessee State University as he discusses the most important issues and strategies related to the pediatric to adult healthcare transition process. STEP staff will give an overview of services and resources for transition-age youth.

Date:    Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Time:    12:30 PM – 1:30 PM Eastern
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM Central

• Dr. David Wood completed his MD and MPH at the University of California at Los Angeles and then pursued Pediatrics and Preventive Medicine/Public Health residencies. He has dedicated his professional career to developing, implementing, and studying models of care for children and families with economic disadvantages and physical and intellectual disabilities. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed publications and over 50 reports and book chapters. He founded and ran for ten years the JaxHATS transition clinic, which has supported the healthy transition of youth in Jacksonville, Florida, half of which had physical and intellectual disabilities.Dr. Wood came to ETSU six years ago and directs the Adolescent and Young Adult Clinic at ETSU, in which over 1500 youth and young adults from all over Northeast Tennessee receive medical and transition services. His Clinic provides comprehensive primary care for youth with chronic conditions and physical and intellectual disabilities. In addition, the Clinic helps coordinate its client’s health care through late adolescence and early adulthood, as they transition from the pediatric system of care to the adult system of care, and works with other agencies that serve youth with special needs, such as the schools, medical specialists (both pediatric and adult), Vocational Rehabilitation, the Employment and Community First CHOICES program, and community agencies that advocate for this population.
• The STEP host will be Ned Andrew Solomon, STEP Communications Support and Youth Transition to Adulthood Specialist.