AGS Announces New Geriatric Care Resource Portal
Enhancing the utility of the American Geriatrics Society’s (AGS) numerous publications and products, the AGS launched its new online portal during the society’s Annual Scientific Meeting early this month. The portal—GeriatraicsCareOnline.org—provides quick and easy access to the society’s seminal texts, guidelines, annual meeting presentations, AGS Foundation for Health in Aging patient handouts, and many other products. A comprehensive search function enables users to select specific topics or resources to create their own “personal library” of content specific to their professional needs and interests. GeriatricsCareOnline.org is designed to meet the needs of clinicians, administrators, researchers, educators, program directors, and others involved in the care of older adults.
“With the rapid growth of our older population, virtually all health professionals will provide at least some care for older people,” said AGS CEO Jennie Chin Hansen. “It is imperative that all healthcare professionals have easy access to geriatrics information and expand their competence in providing quality care for older adults. GeriatricsCareOnline.org was designed with this goal in mind.”
With the portal’s interactive tools users can search within and across content and develop custom texts and libraries by bundling and unbundling information. Users can also add notes and bookmarks in texts and email links to colleagues. And they can create presentations and teaching materials, customized self-assessment tests, and personalized handouts for patients and their caregivers.
“In designing the site, we envisioned a process whereby health systems or educational institutions could engage with us to create customized content for their health providers or trainees,” explained past AGS president John Murphy, MD, a lead advisor in the project. “For example, we envisioned working with a health system to package specific didactic materials and clinical tools related to dementia, with the goal of improving the capacity of their clinicians to care for older adults with dementia and other cognitive impairments.”
Among the publications accessible via the new portal are AGS’ newly released Geriatrics Review Syllabus: A Core Curriculum in Geriatrics Medicine 8th edition (GRS8) and Geriatrics At Your Fingertips, 2013 (GAYF), which have been released in enhanced online versions in addition to print editions. Both texts have been completely updated in keeping with new care guidelines. These include the 2012 AGS Updated Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults; the preoperative care guideline for elderly patients developed by the American College of Surgeons and the AGS; and the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation’s Choosing Wisely® Campaign, to which the society is a contributor. Medication tables in the GRS8 and the new GAYF were updated shortly before publication and include specific caveats and cautions to facilitate appropriate prescribing in older adults.
Authored by a team of more than 180 experts in elder care, the GRS8 contains 64 chapters, including two that are completely new and focus on multimorbidity and care transitions. The GRS8 provides strength-of-evidence ratings for key diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic information. Based on the AGS guideline on the topic, the new multimorbidity chapter examines the growing number of older patients with three or more chronic illnesses. The chapter identifies both the risks associated with multiple chronic conditions and the gaps in the knowledge base, and recommends a multifactorial, patient-centered approach to the care of these patients. The new care transitions chapter examines risk factors for and the incidence of suboptimal care transitions factors; outlines a team-based approach to coordinating care; and describes clinicians’ roles in improving transitions. The new GRS8 also includes 330 case-oriented, multiple choice questions, critiques, and references for those preparing for board exams. It also offers 90 American Medical Association Category 1 Continuing Medical Education credits.
GAYF has also been completely updated and expanded. The new 13th edition includes sections about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, breast cancer, and myelodysplastic syndromes. The section devoted to anticoagulation has been revised significantly. The pocket guide’s numerous assessment tools, algorithms, guides to diagnostic tests, and tables have also been updated.
What’s next? GRS8 Self-Assessment and a GAYF mobile apps and a set of GRS8 teaching slides will be available starting in June. AGS members qualify for special member discounts on the portal’s extensive, expert offerings, as well as special member access to free site content. For more information visit GeriatricsCareOnline.org or call the AGS at (800) 247-4779.