Cambridge Health Alliance's older adult e-Newsletter.
We've given our newsletter a new look and new focus for the New Year. That's a lot of news!  This will help us give you more information about changes at Cambridge Health Alliance and also tips you can use in your work with local older adults. 
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 Greetings! ,
roberta

 

As health professionals, you know 

having a good primary care doctor is like a  long term friend - someone you can build relationship with over the years, who knows you and cares about your health.

 

Much as we try to stay healthy, as we get older, our health gets more complex (I can speak from experience here). It seems like the health industry is also getting more complicated. We have to remember when we are due for tests, where to go, how to make an appointment, what prescriptions we need, and if our insurance will pay. It might also be hard to get in to see your doctor when you need.

 

One way to improve health care is a new model called the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH). You may have heard this term, but I've found that many colleagues and most of my clients have no idea what it means.  We're implementing the PCMH model at Cambridge Health Alliance and find it really effective for our older adult patients.

 

So I wanted to use this month to take the mystery out of the PCMH. Hopefully, this information will be helpful to you and will also help you explain this new model to your patients/clients and their family members.

 

Be Well,

Roberta

 

Patient-Centered Medical Home:
Primary Care for Older Adults

 

The PCMH model is a new approach to primary care that uses a team approach. Each patient is assigned their own "care team" that includes a physician, nurse, medical assistant and medical receptionist, at a minimum. This team works as a cohesive unit to help the patient with routine and urgent care, coordination of specialty care and help with ongoing chronic health concerns.

 

Elder Service Plan rehab at Cambridge Health Alliance

 

You may wonder how this differs from primary care as we know it. After all, haven't patients always interacted with different staff members and had their care coordinated? Here's how I would summarize the improvements:

 

  1. Specialized Care Teams. The PCMH model lets each person on the care team specialize in their part of the primary care experience. Because PCMH has made primary care clinics more efficient in how they conduct their work, each care team member now can work at the top of their license, which is a huge benefit to care and overall patient satisfaction. For example, a nurse now can focus more on health education with the patient, instead of just focusing on taking a patient's temperature or blood pressure.      
  2. Patient Engagement. PCMH care team works with the patient to  set health goals, understand their medical history and share previous medical records, bring their medications to every visit and discuss their specialty care needs. A whole new mentality! It takes us back to how it used to be, when a family medicine doctor could spend more time with a patient.      
  3.  Technology. Our PCMH sites use new technologies like an online patient portal to allow patients to communicate with their care team. Our online portal lets patients request or change an appointment or ask their care team a non urgent question, right from their home! This not only makes it more convenient for the patient, but allows for better communication and management of the patient's health.
    For a family  member or caregiver of an older adult, the patient portal is very beneficial.  A proxy can be named for a patient and will allow the family member/caregiver to review their loved one's medical information right online!

 

Here's a new video CHA came up with about our patient portal: MyCHArt Video

 

 

Start the Conversation Today!

 

I look at the PCMH model as a "new-old way" of proving primary care to older adults. The "new"  part is using technology like MyCHArt, and the "old" part is returning to the roots of primary care, providing more patient-focused care. Click here for a great article I found that talks about the "new-old" perspective.  

 

Elder Service Plan of Cambridge Health Alliance
 
So, start the conversation about primary care with your patients today! If you need a place to begin, show your patients this video I made to describe the importance of primary care -- click here !

 

 

 

CAMBRIDGE HEALTH ALLIANCE is a high-quality and innovative community health system that provides essential services to Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston's metro-north communities. It includes three hospital campuses, a network of primary care and specialty practices, and the Cambridge Public Health Dept. CHA is a Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate and is also affiliated with Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and Tufts University School of Medicine. For more information, visit www.challiance.org.


 

Do you know an older adult who could benefit from the PCMH model of care? 
 
CHA is currently accepting new patients at most of our 15 primary care locations.
 
Connect with CHA's Doctor Finder Service! Call 617-665-1305 or click here for more information.
 
 
CHA In the News



Television Show

"Health Is Wealth"

 

ECTV - Ch. 3 & 22 Everett

  • Tuesdays at 9:00 am
  • Thursdays at 7:00 pm
Airing twice a Week!

Or click here to view online.

 

CCTV - Ch. 9 Cambridge

  • 3rd Tuesday of the month at 4:30 pm

Click here to stream online.

 

SCATv, Ch. 3 Somerville

  • Thursdays at 3:30 pm

Click here to watch past episodes.  

 

Coming Soon to Arlington and Malden cable TV!