Quality and Safety in Transitional Urologic Care

Abstract

In recent years, our understanding about how to manage pediatric urology patients has improved substantially. This has resulted in this population receiving better long-term care, thus allowing these patients to live well into adulthood. This chapter explores how well the medical community has been adapting to this evolution in pediatric medicine, both in the broad context of complex pediatric care as well as within the realm of pediatric urology. Several existing initiatives for transitional pediatric and pediatric urologic care will be discussed, along with opportunities for collaboration to generate novel innovations specific to the pediatric urologic patient approaching transition into adulthood. Finally, the basic tenets of quality improvement work and its applicability to transitional care will be reviewed. Recommendations will be provided regarding how to develop, measure, refine, and spread quality improvement initiatives.