Bridging the Gap in Autism Care: A Call for Physician Empowerment and Action

In a recent commentary for Medical Economics, Keri Schoenbrun, Development Director at Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation (TLI), highlights a critical issue within the healthcare landscape—how primary care physicians (PCPs) can better serve the growing population of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As more patients transition from pediatric to adult care, PCPs face the challenge of navigating the complexities of ASD without adequate resources or up-to-date research to guide them.

The article, "Bridging the Gap in Autism Spectrum Disorder Care: Empowering Physicians with Up-to-Date Research and Current Solutions," underscores the fact that many physicians are unprepared to manage the co-occurring conditions common in adults with ASD, such as epilepsy, gastrointestinal issues and anxiety. This gap in care is concerning, particularly as individuals with ASD face significantly lower life expectancies compared to their non-autistic peers.

Schoenbrun emphasizes that while exciting advances in autism research are on the horizon, there are already tens of thousands of peer-reviewed studies that could immediately improve patient outcomes. She argues that the key to better care lies in empowering physicians with centralized, easily accessible knowledge that helps bridge the gap between groundbreaking research and everyday clinical practice.

At TLI, we are dedicated to providing tools that make this vital knowledge accessible to all healthcare providers. The upcoming launch of the Autism Knowledge Gateway (AKG) at our “An Evening to Advance Autism Care” event on November 8, 2024, is designed to address precisely this need. By delivering up-to-date, peer-reviewed studies and facilitating clinical collaboration, AKG aims to close the resource gap and improve the quality of care for adults with ASD.

For a full dive into this critical conversation, we invite you to read Keri Schoenbrun’s full article, published in Medical Economics here.

Stay connected with us at TLI as we continue our mission to bridge the knowledge gap in autism care and empower physicians to make informed, evidence-based decisions that positively impact the lives of individuals with ASD. For more information on how to participate in the event or to support the Autism Knowledge Gateway, please visit Autism Knowledge Gateway.