Turning 18 in the U.S. marks the beginning of legal adulthood, traditionally bringing with it major changes such as the start of college or a career and, for many, the need to switch from pediatric to adult healthcare.
Particularly concerned about the latter leap is Ipsen, which Thursday unveiled a new educational initiative dedicated to supporting teenagers and young adults in the transition from their pediatricians to adult care, for which they’re often unprepared.
The “Healthcare Shift” website—unbranded, save for the Ipsen logo at the bottom—encourages young people to “become the CEO of your health” and offers tools and tips for doing so, personalized for those as young as 10 years old and up to 26, marking the point when individuals are no longer allowed to be on their parent or guardian’s insurance plan.
Tweens and younger teens—or “big kids,” in the site’s parlance—are encouraged to speak up in doctor visits and start taking charge of their own health by using the “Healthy Habit Builder” guide and referring to a glossary of common health terms. They can also download a quiz and word search featuring health-related words and trivia.
Older teenagers and young adults, meanwhile, can access a checklist to guide them through the processes of making appointments, staying up to date on health history, managing medications, keeping track of insurance and more. There’s also an appointment guide with tips for questions to ask during a doctor visit and actions to take before and after.
The site dedicates a page to parents and caregivers, too, who can peruse the same resources to help prepare their children for a successful transition from pediatric to adult care. The page also features a video in which Susan Shanske, a clinical social worker, and Ahmet Uluer, D.O., both of whom hold leadership roles in the BRIDGES Adult Transition Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, discuss the aging-up process.
In announcing the initiative, Ipsen cited 2018 survey data showing that nearly half of 18- to 29-year-olds in the U.S. didn’t have a primary care physician—an oversight that can have an especially significant impact on the health of people with chronic conditions, the company noted.
“Through our work in rare pediatric conditions, we’ve seen how critical it is for teens and young adults to feel supported in moving from pediatric to adult care,” Keira Driansky, executive vice president and president of North America at Ipsen, said in the announcement. “By offering families and providers tools to start these conversations earlier, kids develop the lifelong skills needed to manage their own health with confidence.”