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Improving Care for Seniors at Risk of Falls
An innovative approach to elder care in Canada
Why create a single point of service?
It seems obvious: seniors should be able to access all services related to fall and fracture management in the same place. And yet, it took a special initiative from a geriatrician and his team to get centralized care centres set up at the Jewish General Hospital and the Montreal General Hospital. This innovative model could inspire similar service centres across Canada, where the need for geriatric care is rising as the population ages.
Dr. Duque's initiative to improve geriatric patient care
After noting a significant gap in the care offered to at-risk and post-operative seniors, Dr. Gustavo Duque determined that an innovative solution was needed. Older adults are at higher risk of falls, injuries and hospitalization, and when these situations arise, the impact on patients can be significant. To compound the issue, patients are forced to navigate a bureaucratic labyrinth in order to access all the services they need. As a result, a simple fall or fracture can be devastating, and some seniors never fully regain their functional abilities following hospitalization. Seeing the problem, Dr. Duque decided to take action to improve patient care. He rallied a diverse group of healthcare professionals to push for the integration of the Falls and Fractures Clinic and the Bone Clinic.
Having a single point of service means that patients receive a comprehensive assessment from a multidisciplinary team that covers geriatrics, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and nutrition. These professionals coordinate with family doctors and the CLSC to ensure that each patient is offered a personalized and integrated treatment plan, requiring fewer visits and lower overall costs. Providing comprehensive and centralized health services for seniors across Canada would make a huge difference for people by preventing fall-related injuries and hospitalizations.
If it weren’t for Dr. Duque and the team of medical specialists behind the project, many elderly patients would still be stuck trying to coordinate appointments with the various medical professionals they need to see. This problem persists throughout the healthcare system network where integrated care centres have yet to be established. It’s a real challenge for seniors, especially those who don't have family support.
With a streamlined and coordinated approach, the integrated centres help reduce patient stress and improve quality of care. Since services are managed centrally, patients can be assessed and offered treatment faster. This results in fewer trips to emergency and a reduced need to see other specialists. By cutting down on the number of trips to the clinic and appointments, integrated centres can reduce the risk of complications or further injury for the elderly.
Data from Australia, where a similar approach has been adopted, shows a significant reduction in the number of emergency room consultations and additional appointments, which in turn translates into substantial cost savings. Adopting similar solutions in Quebec could also reduce the hospitalization burden for at-risk seniors and lead to better clinical outcomes. The model has already proven that integrating services can help cut healthcare costs significantly while improving patient outcomes. Because this coordinated method optimizes resources and reduces the need for separate appointments, it helps save an average of $850 per visit.
Specialist physicians are like patient advocates in that they play a crucial role in driving change in the healthcare system. By combining specialized patient services and coordinating post-hospitalization treatments, integrated care centres help elderly patients prevent injuries and enjoy better recoveries. Dr. Duque and his team are delighted to see how successful this initiative has been and the difference it has made for elderly patients. Their story is an outstanding example of what medical specialists can do to improve the healthcare system.
Other inspiring stories
The Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec (FMSQ) is made up of nearly 11,000 specialist physicians representing 59 recognized medical specialties. Our mission is to defend and support specialist doctors who are members of our affiliated associations and work in the public health system, while promoting quality care and services for the people of Quebec.