Point-Counterpoint: Adult patients in children's hospitals

J Hosp Med. 2025 Jun 25. doi: 10.1002/jhm.70113. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Adults continue to be admitted to children's hospitals for a variety of reasons. But should they? Transfer from the pediatric to adult hospital setting is the standard of high-quality care for any young adult. Adult hospitalists are equipped to care for these patients. Transferring these patients to the adult model of care may not be as seamless as we would hope for. Pediatric to adult healtcare transition helps promote equitable care and addresses the growing scarcity of pediatric beds. Providers working in pediatric settings caring for adolescents and young adults must work help their patients succeed in executing and completing timely transfer into adult hospital models of care, collaborating with others and building supports for transition along the way.