By Jeff Galles, D.O.
Innovative Program Aims to Ease Healthcare Navigation for Seniors and Enhance Patient Experience
Today’s healthcare system can be complicated and confusing even for the savviest consumer. Older patients and their families often get “lost” as they attempt to navigate the cumbersome maze of specialists, imaging centers, hospitals, social services, and chronic care facilities. In a society where family is not always available to assist these patients with complex decisions, coordination of services often becomes frustrating for both the patient and physician.
“Understanding the special needs of our seniors while providing real time solutions is among our highest priorities,” says Dr. Jeff Galles, Medical Director for Utica Park Clinic (UPC). “As our population ages, we remain committed to do a better job of coordinating healthcare resources for both the patients as well as their families.” To compound issues, most often the primary care physician is not the doctor providing care while in the hospital.
After conducting in-depth interviews with patients, patient care providers, physicians and their staff, UPC developed SeniorPartner. The effort is designed to provide synchronized care and a positive patient experience for our valued patients age 50 and older. Our aim is simple: seamless, hassle free access to community resources, patient advocacy, and assistance scheduling appointments, along with coordination of care after a hospital discharge. The program is free to Utica Park Clinic patients and no sign up is necessary.
Jo Brewer has been named SeniorPartner Program Director. Brewer has been actively involved in the Tulsa medical community since 1987. Brewer’s broad base of medical experience includes case management of senior services; director of treatment for family mental health; medical hospital social work; management and marketing for acute respiratory services; home health and hospice services among others. Her ongoing medical education efforts have a particular focus on senior citizens and their families. Jo’s presentations include; Alzheimer’s, hospice, Medicare benefits available and how to access them, patient rights, state required long-term care in-services, and other current medical topics.
“Our goal it to provide seamless navigation as our patients move from the clinic setting to the hospital and back to their residence or other healthcare facility,” says Ms. Brewer. “We want the patient and their family to feel they have a place to turn when their healthcare needs extend beyond the doctor’s office.” Additional resources the SeniorPartner initiative will include educational seminars, nursing home and skilled nursing facility visits to evaluate patient needs, along with home health and hospice assistance.
Meanwhile, UPC plans to provide wireless internet access in most of their clinics in 2008 so family members can access the web during office visits. The UPC web site, www.uticaparkclinic.com is undergoing significant content upgrade and will include links and a range of resources specifically for our senior patients. Ultimately, the goal of SeniorPartner is to make the healthcare system as patient-friendly as possible while providing leading edge tools to our patients and their families.