Implementation of a Pilot Clinic for Pediatric to Adult Cancer Survivorship Transitions

Alexander Hai Jin; Pamela J Simon; Alison Clayton; Catherine Benedict; Michaela Liedtke; Lori Muffly; Lidia Schapira; Stephanie M Smith

doi:10.1089/jayao.2023.0041

Implementation of a Pilot Clinic for Pediatric to Adult Cancer Survivorship Transitions

J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol. 2023 Dec;12(6):918-922. doi: 10.1089/jayao.2023.0041. Epub 2023 Aug 23.

Authors

Alexander Hai Jin¹, Pamela J Simon², Alison Clayton², Catherine Benedict³, Michaela Liedtke⁴, Lori Muffly⁵, Lidia Schapira^{6

7}, Stephanie M Smith⁸

Affiliations

¹ Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
² Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford, Stanford Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program, Palo Alto, California, USA.
³ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA.
⁴ Divisions of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Stanford Health Care, Stanford, California, USA.
⁵ Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Department of Medicine, Stanford Health Care, Stanford, California, USA.
⁶ Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford Health Care, Stanford, California, USA.
⁷ Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford, California, USA.
⁸ Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Stem Cell Transplantation & Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA.

PMID: 37615593
DOI: 10.1089/jayao.2023.0041

Abstract

Childhood cancer survivors are recommended to have lifelong survivorship care, yet many become disengaged during pediatric to adult care transitions. We implemented a pilot clinic for adult survivors of pediatric or adolescent and young adult (AYA) leukemia transitioning to adult-focused survivorship care. The clinic featured AYA-specific care, bidirectional communication with primary care, and a quality improvement (QI) cycle. During the 1-year QI period, 27 patients were seen and 21 completed postvisit interviews. The clinic was positively received by patients and primary care providers, showed promise for improving self-management and care coordination, and highlighted the need for novel approaches to connect survivors with primary care.

Keywords: adolescent and young adult; cancer survivorship; clinical pilot; quality improvement; transitions.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Cancer Survivors*
Child
Humans
Neoplasms* / therapy
Survivors
Survivorship
Transition to Adult Care*
Young Adult