GPLI Progam

By 2030, adults 65 years and over will double in size to comprise 24% of the total U.S. population. Chronic conditions are the leading causes of death among older adults 65+. National data shows that one of three older adults fall each year, but less than half talk to their doctor about their injuries.  Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias are the 6th leading cause of death in the US and 5th leading cause of death for individuals age 65 and older. Given the increase in population coupled with complexity of care, older adults are at a higher risk of health-care related harm due to increased healthcare utilization. 

Because of current utilization patterns by age, the increased demand in primary care is seen most prominently among general/family medicine, and general internal medicine practitioners. Unfortunately, just as the geriatric population is growing organizations like the America Association of Medical Colleges are forecasting a physician shortage of 54,000 to 139,000 physicians by 2033. Based on HRSA’s latest projections the national demand for primary care physicians is projected to increase by 38,320 FTEs – from 224,780 FTEs in 2013 to 263,100 FTEs in 2025 – a 17 percent increase.

The COVID-19 pandemic has added stress and strains on clinical provider’s physical and emotional health which has led to burnout and early retirement.  In particular clinical providers in nursing home were unproportionally impacted by COVID-19 because of the nature of the vulnerable population they were caring for.

These factors have resulted in health care systems struggling to reliably provide evidence-based practice to every older adult at every point of contact in the health care system.  As the US population ages, our health care system must be better prepared to care for older adults.   Traditionally, most all health care professionals receive minimal exposure to geriatric content in their education. It is now incumbent upon the health care system to re-train or “change the culture” of health care providers with improved geriatric competencies to ensure better patient outcomes.

Taking these factors together it is obvious that the clinical professionals working with older adults should be provided with the appropriate knowledge and skills related to caring for older adults so they can improve the care they provide to this population and ensure better patient outcomes.

This competitive six-month GPLI has been designed to prepare interprofessional healthcare teams to drive improvements in clinical care for older adults in their organization The Team-based GPLI helps participants understand and put into practice an evidence-based delivery model that will address the needs of older adults by a coordinated effort of interprofessional health care providers. This interprofessional team approach is enriched by incorporating the Age-Friendly Health Systems 4Ms Framework.

The Age-Friendly Health Systems, is an initiative of The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in partnership with the American Hospital Association and the Catholic Health Association of the United States.  The Age-Friendly initiative focuses on implementing the 4Ms (What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility) of care for older adults. Each team will develop a project that will emphasize the impact of improvement in one or more of the 4Ms by enhancement health system processes in their organization.  This project will prepare your organization to be recognized as an Age-Friendly Health System.  The project should align with the strategic direction of the organization.

The Team-based GPLI consist of five modules and the quality improvement project.  The five modules are:

• The Iceberg of Culture & Organizational Change
• Teams, Teamwork, & Leadership
  • Required reading The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni
  • Required team assessment tool, e.g., Team Trust Assessment by Cooper
• Age-Friendly Health Systems
• Quality Improvement & Age Friendly Care
• Putting the Age-Friendly Model into Practice

In addition, three required one-hour Zoom class meetings will be held.

Teams will develop and begin the implementation of a quality improvement (QI) project, focusing on at least one of the Age-Friendly Health Systems 4Ms – What Matters, Medications, Mentation, Mobility.  A final project presentation will occur at graduation. The QI project should align with and support the strategic direction of the organization and have full backing of senior leadership. 

Each Team will have access to coaches who will offering team and clinical support and guidance throughout the modules, project development and implementation process.

The Team-based GPLI recognizes the busy schedules of each individual and designed the curriculum to make it as time efficient as possible. Each team member is required to participate in and complete at least 80% of the self-paced online modules. The time commitment for the six months of the GPLI ranges from approximately one (1) to two (2) hours per week.  This time includes team meetings. The actual time will vary depending on the phase of the course and project as well as the existing knowledge and skills the team members have about quality improvement, team building and commitment.

The Team-based GPLI is flexible, 100% online, and self-paced.  Continuing Educations Credits and UNTHSC Micro-Credential Certificate are offered. Because the GPLI is funded through a grant from the Health Resource and Services Administration (HRSA) there is no cost to you.

Age-Friendly Health Systems is an initiative of The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), in partnership with the American Hospital Association (AHA) and the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA). The goal of the initiative is to spread the 4Ms Framework to US hospitals and medical practices.

Age-Friendly Health Systems aim to:

• Follow an essential set of evidence-based practices; 
• Cause no harm; and
• Align with What Matters to the older adult and their family caregivers.

Adapted from aha.org/agefriendly. 

The Team-based GPLI Program provides participants with skills and knowledge to improve patient care for older adults by incorporating the Age-Friendly Health Systems 4Ms Framework. Benefits to participants at an individual, organizational, and community level include:

• Expand your teamwork and leadership knowledge and skills for greater impact in the organization
• Increase your knowledge about how to deliver evidence-based practices into existing care and resources by integrating the 4Ms Framework 
• Grow your experience about building and working with effective teams by developing and implement a quality improvement project at your organization, with training from highly respected faculty/practitioners in geriatric healthcare and leadership
• Expand your awareness of how to improve quality patient-focused geriatrics care, patient safety, improved workflow and financial outcomes
• Work with a team coach to help expand your knowledge of how highly effective teams’ function to achieve team goals
• Prepare your organization to be recognized as Age-Friendly Health Systems – Committed to Care Excellence and/or Participants
• Have the opportunity to earn CEU credits and a Micro credential

The Team-based GPLI is open to teams of approximately six health care professionals from one organization. The teams may be pre-existing or be created around the GPLI application.  Individuals from all disciplines are welcomed.  Previous team have included nurses, physicians, social workers, pharmacist’s, rehabilitation therapists, administrators, regional managers, and senior leaders. 

Applications for the 2023 program were due on November 1, 2022 at 5 pm. Check back for information about applying for 2024.