Defining the role and reach of a geriatrician

Abstract

Population ageing is a global occurrence. Unfortunately, the shortage of health professionals with geriatric competencies is a major factor restricting high-quality care for older people worldwide. Strengthening the knowledge and skills of the health workforce to better respond to the needs of older people is a major global priority. Geriatricians can play a pivotal role in reorienting care for older people towards an integrated and person-centred care system focused on functional ability, preventive strategies, and age-friendly services. The current scenario requires efforts to be directed towards establishing a standardised competency-based definition of a geriatrician to allow for an accurate estimation of the existing workforce with adequate training in geriatrics as crucial resources to facilitate the paradigm shift. This Personal View, supported by the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics and the European Geriatric Medicine Society, proposes a standardised definition of a geriatrician based on expected competencies and roles and a precise description of the essential features of geriatric medicine. By reducing ambiguities and offering a competency-based framework, the current standardisation approach is expected to facilitate better support, monitoring, and allocation of resources for improving care for older people worldwide.