Geriatric Medicine

A geriatric physician, also called a geriatrician, is a medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease and disability in older adults. Geriatric physicians are primary care doctors who are specially trained in the aging process.  Geriatricians provide comprehensive medical care for people later in life. They are board certified, usually in either family medicine or internal medicine, and have received additional training and certification in geriatric medicine.  Geriatric physicians are concerned with health problems that frequently affect older adults, such as pain, falls, memory loss, incontinence (involuntary loss of urine), and medication side effects. Another important aspect of geriatric medicine is evaluating an elderly patient’s ability to care for him- or herself (e.g., prepare and eat meals, bathe, dress).

Medical conditions that geriatricians may treat include the following:

  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Cancer (e.g., colon cancer, prostate cancer)
  • Dementia
  • Diabetes
  • Neuropathy
  • Heart disease
  • Osteoporosis
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Sleep disorders
  • Stroke
geriatric medicine

Due to improvements in medical care and nutrition and advances in technology, the number of people in the United States who are over the age of 65 is larger than ever before. This growing population often has special medical concerns.  The DiGiovanna  Family Health and Wellness Center is well-equipped to address the needs of these older adults.  With a Diabetes Comprehensive Management Program, wound care, Cardiovascular services, Gastroenterology services, neurological screenings and treatment, osteoporosis screening and treatment, sleep disorder testing and Chronic Care Management Services, the DiGiovanna Family Health & Wellness Center has been treating older adults for over 50 years.  The DiGiovanna Family Health and Wellness Center treats both older adults who are well and have relatively no medical problems as well as older adults who experience physical, mental, or emotional illnesses or disabilities that lead to a dependence on assistance from others, or when his or her condition causes stress on caregivers (e.g., family members and friends).  The DiGiovanna Family Health and Wellness Center focuses on all aspects of health care and works as part of a health care team to address issues that affect the elderly.  The DiGiovanna Family Health and Wellness Center works alongside nurses, social workers, nutritionists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, and geriatric psychiatrists to address the medical needs of these older adults. The geriatric health care team focuses on many aspects of the patient’s life, including his or her social support (e.g., spouse, children, other relatives), living conditions and home life, and community.  Medical care from providers of the DiGiovanna Family Health and Wellness Center may be provided in our well-equipped facility or, depending on need, in an older adult’s home.

Chronic Care Management

Since 2015, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the United States Department of Health and Human Services have recognized Chronic Care Management as a critical component of primary care that contributes to better health and care for individuals.  Chronic Care Management (CCM) .  CCM is available to any patient covered under Medicare who has two or more chronic medical conditions which are expected to lat at least 12 months and place the patient under significant risk of death, acute exacerbation/decompensation, or functional decline.  A comprehensive plan of care will be established, implemented, revised and monitored by the treating physician.  SUch medical conditions in Alzheimer’s dememtia, arthritis (osteoarthritis or rheumatoid), asthma, atrial fibrillation, autism, cancers, cardiovascular disease, COPD, depression, diabetes, hypertension and/or infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS.  This program is only available from Primary Care Physicians who are currently treating the patient.  The DiGiovanna Family Health and Wellness Center has implemented a Chronic Care Management program which is available to appropriate patients.  This program will allow for the development of a Comprehensive Care Plan for the participating patient.  The Comprehensive Care Plan will allow participating patients 24-hour-per-day, 7-day-per-week (24/7) access to the DiGiovanna Family Health and Wellness Center providers or clinical staff, including a means to make contact with our providers to address urgent needs, ensure continuity of care with a designated member of our health care team who is able to schedule subsequent appointments, and provide enhanced opportunities for the patient and any caregivers to communicate with the practitioner regarding our patient’s care by telephone and/or secure messaging and/or secure email.  The Comprehensice Care Plan will also include Comprehensive Care Management to assess and address our patient’s medical, functional and psychosocial needs, system-based approaches to ensure timely receipt of all recommended preventive care services, medication reconciliation with review of adherence and potential interaction. oversight ofpatient self-management of medications and coordinating care with home and community cased clinical service providers, and last to provide Transitional Care Management to manage the transitions between and among health care providers and settings, including referring to other clinicians, and follow-up care after an emergency department visit or facility discharge.

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