Health care transition in thalassemia: pediatric to adult-oriented care.

Improved technology and medical advances have increased the lifespan for people with thalassemia. As thalassemia is no longer exclusively a pediatric blood disorder, consideration must now be given to transition planning from pediatric to adult care. The complexity of thalassemia disease, coupled with the changing face of U.S. health care, creates barriers to transitional planning. Additional barriers develop because this chronic disease is less common in adults, leaving caregivers unprepared to facilitate proper adult treatment. This paper will discuss two common U.S. health care settings where care is provided to adults with thalassemia. It will also offer health care administrators, providers, policy makers, and the thalassemia community at large some recommendations on the provision of comprehensive, quality care to assure the best possible outcomes no matter what setting is available to adult patients living with thalassemia.