Introduction & Objective: Structured healthcare transition (S-HCT), the process of moving from pediatric to adult healthcare services, promotes optimal health outcomes in adolescents diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). This study assessed for changes in clinicians’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors before and after an educational seminar that included evidence to support a S-HCT process for youth diagnosed with T1DM, the Six Core Elements of Healthcare Transition (6CEoHCT) framework, the teach-back method for communication and a roadmap to operationalize the process in a hospital’s endocrinology department.
Methods: After IRB approval, clinicians’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding a S-HCT process were assessed using a pre-implementation survey. Then an educational seminar that included the 6CEoHCT, the teach-back method as a communication strategy and a visual guide to support clinicians was delivered. Three weeks later, post-implementation surveys were administered to those that attended the seminar. Descriptive data analysis was used to assess data. Wilcoxon test was used to assess statistical significance.
Results: Among the twenty-one (N=21) clinicians that completed both the pre- and post-test surveys, 43% reported over ten years of experience. The educational intervention was associated with significant increases in average scores from pre-surveys in clinician knowledge (M=1.43) to the post-survey (M=2.43), p < 0.05, clinician attitudes (M= 24.95) to the post-survey (M = 28.86), p < 0.05, and clinician behavior subscales (M=21.71) to the post-survey (M = 29.29), p < 0.05, respectively.
Conclusion: The results suggest that providing S-HCT education and support for clinicians was successful in increasing clinician knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Future research should explore sustained changes in clinicians 6-months and 1-year post-education.
C.M. de Almagro: None. A. Carrillo: None. J.S. Verme: None. D.S. Goldin: None.
