Medscape December 9, 2025
A growing body of evidence suggests that even healthy adolescents struggle with the transition from a pediatrician’s care to an adult primary care practitioner.
A 2020 study by the CDC found that only 15% of US adolescents received appropriate transition planning, including time alone with their clinician, coaching on managing their own health, and discussion of the shift to an adult provider. The study compared the experiences of adolescents with mental health issues and those without and found the rate was nearly identical between the two cohorts.
In other words, the vast majority of “average” teens receive little to no structured preparation before aging out of pediatric care.
“The division between distinct pediatric and adult care systems creates a chasm...
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