With the impending surge in the number of older adults, primary care clinicians will increasingly need to manage the care
of vulnerable elders. Caring for vulnerable elders is complex because of their wide range of health goals and the interdependence
of medical care and community supports needed to achieve those goals. In this article, we identify ways a primary care practice
can reorganize to improve the care of vulnerable elders. We begin by identifying important outcomes for vulnerable elders
and three key processes of care (communication, developing a personal care plan for each patient, and care coordination) needed
to achieve these outcomes. We then describe two delivery models of primary care for vulnerable elders – co-management, and
augmented primary care. Finally, we discuss how the physical plant, people, workflow management, and community linkages in
a primary care practice can be restructured to better serve these patients.
KEY WORDS primary care - practice redesign - quality of care - quality improvement - older adults
Support: David Ganz was supported by the UCLA Claude Pepper Older Americans Independence Center funded by the National Institute
on Aging (5P30AG028748) and the Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development Service (VA CD2 08–012–1). Shinyi
Wu is supported by the Roybal Center for Health Policy Simulation funded by the National Institute on Aging (5P30AG024968–02).
The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the
Department of Veterans Affairs or Zynx Health Incorporated.