«rHEumatology tRansition for yOung pEople in Switzerland»
About 50% of children with a rheumatological disease need further medical care in adulthood. Hence, these patients will experience a change from the pediatric to the adult healthcare setting. In addition to changing the medical care team, these adolescents need to assume responsibility for managing their illness in daily life, which so far had been done mainly by their parents. Crucial for a successful transition into adult healthcare is a well-planned transition built on an individual, structured management plan. Yet, the Swiss pediatric rheumatology clinics organize this transition process very diversely. There is no plan all clinics generally agree and adhere to.
Thus, the overall objectives and aims of the HEROES study is to develop, implement, and evaluate a transitional care program for adolescents and young adults with a rheumatic disease moving from pediatric to adult settings in Switzerland.
The HEROES study is a collaborative effort involving medical centers all over Switzerland, including Aarau, Basel, Bellinzona/Lugano, Bern (n= 2), Chur, Lausanne, Luzern, Geneva, St. Gallen, Winterthur, Visp and Zürich.

All thirteen paediatric rheumatology centers, along with the adult center they primarily transfer their patients to, will participate in the study.
| City | Name | Center | Pediatric / Adult |
| Basel | Dr. Andreas Wörner Prof. Dr. Thomas Daikeler Mary Louise Daly |
University Children’s Hospital Basel University Hospital Basel University Hospital Basel |
P A A |
| Aarau | Dr. Andreas Wörner Prof. Dr. Sabine Adler |
Cantonal Hospital Aarau Cantonal Hospital Aarau |
P A |
| Bellinzona | Dr. Federica Vanoni | Regional Hospital Bellinzona | P |
| Bern | Prof. Dr. Klaus Tenbrock
Dr. Matthias Gasser Dr. Isabelle Bolt Laura Strahm |
University Hospital Bern | P
A P P |
| Chur | Dr. Eva Adank Dr. Jürg Wick |
Cantonal Hospital Graubünden | P
A |
| Geneva | Dr. Géraldine Blanchard Rohner Dr. Charlotte Girard-Guyonvarc’h |
University Hospital of Geneva | P |
| Lausanne | Dr. Katerina Theodoropoulou Dr. Diana Dan |
Lausanne University Hospital Lausanne University Hospital |
P A |
| Lucerne | Prof. Dr. Johannes Roth
Dr. Daniela Kaiser Dr. Gernot Schmid |
Cantonal Hospital Lucerne | P
P A |
| Lugano | Dr. Natalie Marcoli | Regional Hospital Lugano | A |
| St. Gallen | Prof. Dr. Christian Huemer
Dr. Lukas Joos |
Children’s Hospital of Eastern Switzerland | P
A |
| Visp | Dr. Andreas Wörner Dr. Fabian Lötscher |
Hospital Visp Hospital Visp |
P A |
| Winterthur | Dr. Seraina Palmer Sarott
Prof. Lukas Wildi |
Cantonal Hospital Winterthur | P
A |
| Zurich | Dr. Seraina Palmer Sarott
Dr. Susanne Enderlin Steiger |
University Children’s Hospital Zurich Rheuma Clinic Bethanien |
P
A |

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