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Rural Geriatric Care Management Program Esther M. Forti, PhD, RN |
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Compared with their counterparts in cities, elderly people living in rural areas have more chronic conditions that limit their activities; lower incomes, less access to health care, social services, and transportation; and fewer housing options. This project aims to improve the quality of health, medical care and social services available to elderly persons in selected rural communities in Beaufort, Hampton, and Jasper Counties by providing a new type of staff person to assist primary care providers. These new geriatric coordinators will be trained to find and coordinate appropriate health care and social support services for elderly clients, especially underserved, minority clients, helping them use health care services appropriately by decreasing unnecessary office and emergency room visits. With geriatric coordinators doing these administrative tasks, primary care providers will have more time to give medical care to other clients. MUSC, state agencies, and local churches and service organizations are collaborating on this project. A variety of measures will be examined to determine the impact of the geriatric coordinator on client health and quality of life; client and caregiver satisfaction with health and social services; and clinician and office staff satisfaction in using geriatric coordinators. |
