A comprehensive assessment for community-based, person-centered care for older adults

Abstract

Background: Many health and social needs can be assessed and met in community settings, where lower-cost, person-centered, preventative and proactive services predominate. This study reports on the development and implementation of a person-centered care model integrating dental, social, and health services for low-income older adults at a community dental clinic co-located within a senior wellness center.

Methods: A digital comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) and referral system linking medical, dental, and psychosocial needs by real-time CGA-derived metrics for 996 older adults (age ≥ 60) was implemented in 2016-2018 as part of a continuous quality improvement project. This study aims to describe: 1) the development and content of a new CGA; 2) CGA implementation, workflows, triage, referrals; 3) correlations between CGA domains, and adjusted regression models, assessing associations with self-reported recent hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) visits, and clinically-assessed dental urgency.

Results: The multidisciplinary team from the senior wellness and dental centers planned and implemented a CGA that included standard medical history along with validated instruments for functional status, mental health and social determinants, and added oral health. Care navigators employed the CGA with 996 older adults, and made 1139 referrals (dental = 797, care coordination = 163, social work = 90, mental health = 32). CGA dimensions correlated between oral health, medical status, depressive symptoms, isolation, and reduced quality of life (QoL). Pain, medical symptoms, isolation and depressive symptoms were associated with poorer self-reported health, while general health was most strongly correlated with lower depressive symptoms, and higher functional status and QoL. Isolation was the strongest correlate of lower QoL. Adjusted odds ratios identified social and medical factors associated with recent hospitalization and ED visits. General and oral health were associated with dental urgency. Dental urgency was most strongly associated with general health (AOR = 1.78,95%CI [1.31, 2.43]), dental symptoms (AOR = 2.39,95%CI [1.78, 3.20]), dental pain (AOR = 2.06,95%CI [1.55-2.74]), and difficulty chewing (AOR = 2.80, 95%CI [2.09-3.76]). Dental symptoms were associated with recent ED visits (AOR = 1.61, 95%CI [1.12-2.30]) or hospitalizations (AOR = 1.47, 95%CI [1.04-2.10]).

Conclusion: Community-based inter-professional care is feasible with CGAs that include medical, dental, and social factors. A person-centered care model requires coordination supported by new workflows. Real-time metrics-based triage process provided efficient means for client review and a robust process to surface needs in complex cases.

Keywords: Comprehensive geriatric assessment; Dental urgency; Emergency department use; Hospitalization; Integrated service delivery model; Oral health assessment; Person-centered care.

Fig. 1

Overview of new model of person-centered care Fig. 1a) The digital Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) generates biopsychosocial metrics (20 shown from the General Physical Health and Wellness, Mental Health, and Dental categories, teleoapp.com). Metrics results displayed as color-coded lights based on high (red), medium (yellow) and low (green) risk. 1b) The CGA facilitates appropriate referral and assignment to critical health and social services based on triage metrics (1 = Case Management need, 2 = Medical Complexity, 3 = Oral Health Status, 4 = Depression risk) and further investigation by the care navigator. Possible referral pathways are shown. BSS = Basic Screening Survey

Fig. 2

Correlation matrix of CGA key metrics. All p values < 0.05; Blue indicates positive and red negative correlations