St. Vincent Services Cystic Fibrosis Transition From Pediatric to Adult CF Care
St. Vincent Transition From Pediatric to Adult CF Care

Transition From Pediatric to Adult CF Care

A simple transition from pediatric to adult Cystic Fibrosis care

CF patients are transitioned to our adult cystic fibrosis care program at about age 18-21. One of our goals as a CF team is to ensure a smooth transition from pediatric to adult care, and to educate our patients about taking charge of their own health care and treatments.

What is transition?

At our center, the biggest transition from the pediatric clinic to the adult clinic is adjusting to care to a new provider who specializes in adult CF care. The clinical support team will remain the same. The transition to adult CF care also means that if hospitalized, the patient will be admitted to an adult in-patient unit instead of the pediatric unit.

What is HSHS St. Vincent’s CF Center philosophy regarding transition?

 

We are committed to caring for people with CF across their entire lifespan. Helping young adults and their families move to the adult care team is a big part of our commitment. It is sometimes hard to give up physicians whom you have come to trust and have worked with for so many years; we understand this. Our team will help you make this transition and promise to take good care of you all along the way.

With all of the advances in CF care, we are seeing our young adults grow up … get jobs, go to college, get married, and have their own families. As CF patients mature, their health care needs change and oftentimes they encounter different medical concerns that may not have occurred as a child or teen. We have available physicians who are specially trained in “adult” medical problems associated with CF. We also work closely with maternal-fetal medicine specialists to provide care for CF patients who become pregnant.