Building Your Medical Support Team
Transition is defined and shaped by the capabilities and needs of the person in question. The medical home model promotes development of a team that is capable of identifying an individual’s strengths and abilities, coordinating complicated information, and managing barriers so that a young adult can make a successful transition to community living.
Create an effective care plan. The plan can include environmental modifications, nutrition and diet, medication management, physical fitness routines, healthcare prevention strategies, emergency response, and a safety and health maintenance plan (including assistive technology maintenance and back-up procedures) that prevent and reduce emergency care and crisis hospitalizations (17).
Principles of Self Determination, and full community participation and integration, including social and recreation activities with peers supporting personal choice, interests, talents, abilities and learning preferences (17).
Family-Community: Your care plan should take into account every member of your family and the community in which you and the individual being cared for live.
The success of the medical home model is based on collaboration between the young adult, family members, educational, social service, and health care professionals.
The support and caregiver team can include:
- Treatment specialists such as cardiologists, neurologists, rheumatologists; specialized therapies such as nutrition specialists, dieticians, physical, occupational, speech therapy.
- Medical treatment specialists and technicians to support specific areas such as respiratory care, telemedicine, and medical supply vendors.
- Representatives of insurance, benefit specialists, service coordinators, and benefit specialists.
- Dental treatment and oral health care professionals.