Abstract

Objectives: To determine if a systems navigator service, called the Maestro Project, could increase medical surveillance for young adults with type 1 diabetes who transfer from pediatric to adult care.

Methods: There were two cohorts of participants: 1) a younger group (age 18) who had the assistance of the navigator as they graduated from pediatric care (n=84) and 2) an older group (age 19–25 years) who were transferred to adult care without this initial support, but later enrolled in the program.

Results: 40% of the older group (who did not have initial access to the navigator) dropped out of adult medical care, compared to a drop-out rate of 11% of the younger group, who had access to the navigator at the time of transfer from pediatric care.

Conclusions: The systems navigator helped improve medical surveillance for both groups although there was no evidence of improved short term medical outcomes.