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Geriatrics Outpatient Clinic

  • Rotation Length: 12 months (longitudinal)
  • Location: Swedish Medical Center (First Hill)
  • Supervising Faculty: Ainsworth and Rubenstein
  • Evaluation: direct observation, chart review, and written competency-based evaluation.

Practical details:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
AM
PM Geriatric Fellow Clinic

  • Fellows have geriatric continuity clinic on Monday afternoons at Swedish Family Medicine.
  • There is a dedicated faculty preceptor for this clinic, who discusses all fellows’ patients, sees and examines patients as necessary, and reviews and co-signs all chart notes.

Rotation Goals and Objectives:

Patient Care

  • Improve diagnostic and therapeutic skills in a range of common geriatric medical conditions: heart disease, lung disease, neurologic disease, rheumatologic disease, cancer, infections, and dementia.
  • Recognize acuity in frail elders: determine appropriate follow-up, determine need for hospital admission.
  • Determine the appropriateness of labs and studies in the investigation of disease.

Medical Knowledge

  • Gain expertise in the geriatric syndromes: falls, dizziness, cognitive impairment, polypharmacy, urinary incontinence, vision loss, and hearing loss.
  • Learn to recognize caregiver strain, evaluate patient safety, and determine the need for a higher level of care.

Practice-Based Learning and Improvement

  • Become proficient at using evidence to inform treatment decisions. Recognize the limits of evidence in the care of frail elderly.
  • Learn to use preventive care principles (such as screening) in a manner appropriate to life expectancy and disability.
  • Develop knowledge of community resources available to support this population.

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

  • Communicate sensitively with patients and families, both face-to-face, and by telephone.
  • Become expert in discussions of goals of care, including end of life care.
  • Professionalism
  • Establish the central role of the primary care physician/ geriatrician in the care of the elderly.
  • Communicate and coordinate with other specialists in the development of appropriate care plans; that account for patient preference, life expectancy, and disability.

Systems-Based Practice

  • Participate in the work of the multidisciplinary team (including nursing, therapy, and social work) to provide comprehensive care.
  • Recognize the importance of care transitions, and the role for assisted living, adult family homes, skilled nursing facilities, home care, and long term care.