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Post-Acute Care
70th AHCA/NCAL Convention and Expo
Angela Johnson, PharmD, BCGP
Senior Care Director of Clinical Operations and Pharmacy
Avera eCARE Senior Care
Disclosure: Avera Health/Avera eCARE: Employee (Status: Ongoing)
Michele Snyders, LCSW, ACHP-SW
Social Worker
Avera eCARE Senior Care
Disclosure: Avera eCARE/ Aver Health: Employee (Status: Ongoing)
John Erpenbach, CNP
Nurse Practitioner
Avera eCARE Senior CARE
Disclosure: Avera eCARE/ Avera Health: Employee (Status: Ongoing)
Long term care (LTC) is changing every day, and new challenges are always on the horizon. What does the future hold for the industry, and what solutions can help? Several innovative models are being tested to improve cost efficiency and quality, and sustain the workforce. One approach connects long term care facilities to a 24/7 multidisciplinary team of geriatric-led clinicians. Since 2012, one model, tested by CMMI and currently deployed in nearly 70 U.S. long term care facilities, has been supplying immediate access to geriatricians, social workers, pharmacists, and behavioral health specialists through two-way audio and video equipment. This presentation will explore how three different disciplines utilize virtual care through examples and outcomes of how this approach benefits facilities and LTC residents. Areas of focus will include licensed social workers and the importance of advanced care planning, leveraging geriatric-led pharmacists to assist with medication reconciliation, and the role of psychiatric nurse practitioners in working with behavioral health needs. This virtual care concept takes a multidisciplinary team of geriatric-led clinicians and extends this expertise to cover thousands of residents within several facilities. In a time when we’re seeing a shortage of clinicians, uncertain reimbursement, and lack of access to needed care, this approach reduces unnecessary hospitalizations and saves money; 90% of urgent care video encounters result in treatment in place.