PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Ami Hall
AU  - Kelly Clemings
AU  - Ronan Factora
AU  - Swarnalatha Meyyazhagan
TI  - How Telehealth Addresses the Needs of Vulnerable Elders
AID  - 10.3122/jabfm.2022.03.210493
DP  - 2022 May 01
TA  - The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Medicine
PG  - 638--639
VI  - 35
IP  - 3
4099  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/35/3/638.short
4100  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/35/3/638.full
SO  - J Am Board Fam Med2022 May 01; 35
AB  - Background: One of the most vulnerable groups is older persons who seek medical care (patients), especially those who are cognitively impaired with limited access to technology or knowledge of its use.Intervention: Cuyahoga County Adult Protective Services (APS) partnered with the geriatricians who work at Cleveland Clinic to arrange for clients to be seen virtually in their home environment. Once a patient was identified as having cognitive concerns or an unaddressed medical issue, an appointment was scheduled for a concurrent in-home nurse and virtual visit with a geriatrician.The APS nurse visited the patient's residence to perform an in-home assessment followed by the virtual portion of the visit concurrent with the geriatrician using a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant electronic platform.Outcomes: Fifty-six patients were seen and evaluated in-home by a nurse and then simultaneously virtually by a geriatrician over a 12-month period. Among these patients, 53% had a guardian assigned, 55% were able to stay in their home, and 55% lacked regular health care before the visit, but afterward, 74% started primary medical care.Conclusion: Physicians working collaboratively with community agencies for in-home technology-enhanced visits led to positive outcomes for this vulnerable older population.