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Concerns regarding effective transitioning programs that lead to successful transfer of care transcend our borders. Helping adolescents and emerging adults remain healthy is a global issue.
The articles in this issue describe the development and evaluation of transition-focused programs in three different countries. Patience H. White, MD and colleagues describe the design and implementation of a transition program based on a collaborative quality improvement approach among pediatric, family medicine, and adult providers in Washington, DC. The goal of this program is to translate the six core practice elements of the "GotTransition" education package into practice.
Lead physicians from among these practices met to maintain a mutually collaborative spirit. A learning collaborative was developed in which providers attended quarterly meetings over an 18-month period. Transition policies, tools, and implementation strategies were shared and discussed. In between these meetings, practices enacted changes and assessed their impact. The importance of collaboration among practice groups, the availability of...