More Practice Models in Geriatric MedicineThere is no shortage of practice models in Geriatric/Long-Term Care Medicine. It is truly a wonder how many different and evolving models there are. The Long-Term Care Practice Manual devotes a whole chapter on the main models. Some of these you know of already, but may not have associated with Geriatric Medicine per se.
Hospital PracticeYou have no doubt heard of and probably used a hospitalist already. This type of practitioner is relatively new and isn't traditionally thought of as a geriatric physician. However, look in the hospital and you will see a disproportionate number of geriatric patients there. Today’s hospitalists are really geriatric hospitalists. Even if you don’t want to become a hospitalist, it does bring up an interesting question. How many patients on the hospital wards are coming from long-term care facilities? There is a definite niche here that desperately needs attention. Who will pick up their care after discharge?
Creative CombinationsMost physicians I know practice an amalgam of geriatric practice models that develop over time. There was no real planning, it just evolved that way. My practice is no different. As I worked in Long-Term Care I gravitated towards concepts and models that interested me and built them into a functioning tapestry of income producing work. Most geriatric practices have a foundation of long-term care (traditional nursing home residents), some skilled patients, some hospital patients and most still have an office based practice at their core. The proportions of each depend on the personality and preferences of the physician. Most still work primarily out of their office.
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