continued from page 1 - Electronic Town Hall - UCLA

Residency-based program eases transition for
adolescents with chronic, complex illnesses
As many as 60 percent of patients with chronic or complex medical problems experience gaps
in medical care, health insurance coverage or both during their transition from adolescence
to adulthood. Th e UCLA Med-Peds Transition Care Program helps to prevent these patients
from falling through the cracks by providing patient medical assessments and referrals to
primary-care physicians and specialists who care for adult patients. Th e program also provides
assistance in obtaining appropriate adult health insurance coverage, patient self-care education
and connections to educational and vocational training resources in the community. Th e UCLA
program is unique in that it is run by medical residents with faculty supervision.
From left to right: Debra Lotstein, M.D.,
Ron Lopez, Monica Mau, M.D.
“Information about insurance coverage or communitybased
services is really important in the lives of our
patients, but they’re not particulars most of us have
traditionally learned about in medical school or in
residency rotations,” explains Debra Lotstein, M.D.,
M.P.H., the program’s medical director. “It’s a newer
part of the curriculum to have residents really understand
the healthcare system.”
During their four-year residency, each of the 16 medical
residents trains under the supervision of three faculty members, who are board-certifi ed in
both internal medicine and pediatrics. Th ey also work closely with a program coordinator and
social workers from other pediatric services within UCLA Health System. Th e residents receive
comprehensive training in treating a complex patient population, primarily aged 15 to 25 years,
with either one major medical problem or with multiple chronic illnesses, which requires
multidisciplinary services from many types of clinical and non-clinical providers and resources.
“While it can be challenging to address patient care issues oft en considered outside the scope
of medical care,” notes Dr. Lotstein, “it is also rewarding to see patients appreciate our support
and to see residents get excited to learn more about the diff erent aspects of care.”
PRS EXPANDS OUTREACH
Our Physician Referral Service (PRS) program
has expanded with the goal of making referrals
from community physicians and referring
medical groups simpler, trackable and more
focused. Th ese changes became eff ective April 29
when the specifi c and geographically focused
outreach liaison activity ceased in response to
the need to pare costs, gain greater effi ciency
and move to a longer term plan to improve the
handling of referral relationships.
Th e PRS nurses and referral coordinators are
available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
and are trained to provide personalized help
to referring physicians and patients in a timely
manner. PRS is also available to address any
questions regarding referring medical groups.
Referring physicians can either:
• Fax the patient referral information
to (310) 301-5391
• Call (800) UCLA-888 (825-2888)
• Email access@mednet.ucla.edu
Our Marketing Department is available to assist
in promoting new physicians or programs.
Email darogers@mednet.ucla.edu or call
(310) 794-8173.
UCLA Monitors Swine Flu
UCLA Health System is closely monitoring
developments in the nationwide public health
emergency involving swine infl uenza A, also known
as H1N1. “We have implemented detection and
treatment plans based on Centers for Disease (CDC)
guidelines, we have sent out information on testing
procedures and anti-viral therapy recommendations
to our healthcare providers, and we are prepared to
initiate measures to protect our staff and patients,”
notes Tom Rosenthal, M.D., chief medical offi cer.
If you develop fl u-like symptoms that include high
fever, cough, runny nose, muscle aches and nausea/
vomiting, please contact your personal physician
and do not come to work. Infl uenza is thought to
spread mainly person-to-person through coughing
or sneezing.
4