Neurosurgery

Transition of Care Program

Transitioning teenage and young adults to adult neurosurgery care

The Transition of Care Program within the Department of Neurosurgery at Boston Children's Hospital helps patients transition from their Boston Children’s neurosurgery team to adult neurosurgery providers. We help ensure the adult care team has everything they need for a smooth transfer, including medical records and other important health information. We guide patients and their families through the process, which is typically completed between the ages of 18 and 22, keeping everything organized and easy to understand.

How we support our teenage and young adult patients

Our program is designed to:

Prepare patients to take ownership of their health care and understand what to expect during the care transition
Help inform new providers about your or your child’s neurosurgical and medical history
Identify adult providers suited to your care needs
Prevent gaps in care
Complete a transition plan and care roadmap
Teach patients how to track their condition, manage appointments, and advocate for themselves in a health care setting

Family involvement and guardianship

For patients with ongoing or complex medical needs, parents and guardians often stay closely involved even after age 18. Legal guardianship allows a chosen adult to continue making medical and legal decisions, including:

Tracking appointments and paperwork
Sharing medical history with new providers
Providing emotional and practical support

If guardianship is appropriate for you or your child, we can guide you through the necessary legal steps.

Tools and resources

To help navigate the move to adult neurosurgical care, we provide:

Lists of New England-area adult neurosurgery providers
Letters of introduction to new providers
Surgical summaries, including key care dates and imaging

Contact us

For questions, please contact the Transition of Care team:

Phone: 617-355-6008
Email: jennifer.amon@childrens.harvard.edu or cathryn.winslow@childrens.harvard.edu

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