Team Care Solutions Improve Care for Older Adults

To help bridge the gap between the growing need for high-quality chronic care and the present fragmented, acute care-oriented delivery system, the John A. Hartford Foundation has made a long-term commitment to fund the creation and dissemination of new conceptual models of chronic care for the nation's older adult population.

At the heart of an effective geriatric chronic care system is a strong interdisciplinary team. Studies have shown that innovations in interdisciplinary team care, enhanced decision support, improved clinical information systems, support for self-management, and better access to community resources can improve clinical and/or financial outcomes in outpatient settings, in the home, and during transitions between sites of care.

Four strong models of team care-the Care Transitions Intervention, Care Management Plus, Senior Health and Wellness Clinic, and Virtual Integrated Practice-have shown improvements in health care quality and cost, and are being actively promoted to achieve widespread adoption.

To learn more about these proven innovations, please see this excerpt from our 2007 Annual Report.