A Workshop for Interprofessional Trainees Using the Geriatrics 5Ms Framework.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Interprofessional trainees need geriatrics training to prepare them to care for our aging population. Team-based care will help them be ready to work in an Age-Friendly Health System. The Geriatrics 5Ms provides a framework to engage learners in five main domains of caring for older adults from an interprofessional perspective: Mobility, Mind, Medications, Multicomplexity, and what Matters Most. DESIGN: We created a half-day workshop for interprofessional trainees using the Geriatric 5Ms framework to increase their preparedness in caring for older adults as part of an interprofessional team. SETTING: The New England Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 66 trainees from 10 professions. INTERVENTION: After introductory sessions on careers in aging, participants engaged in an interactive session to learn about the professions represented. They then formed interprofessional groups to discuss a patient case using the Geriatrics 5Ms framework with a modified jigsaw format. MEASUREMENTS: Trainees were surveyed before and after the workshop on their attitudes toward careers in aging, understanding of skills and training paths of other professions, and familiarity with the Geriatrics 5Ms framework. RESULTS: Overall, 97% of the trainees rated the workshop highly. Trainee ratings significantly increased in the areas of understanding of other professions, and familiarity and applicability of the Geriatrics 5Ms, particularly for nonphysicians. CONCLUSION: A workshop for interprofessional trainees using the Geriatrics 5Ms framework increased the readiness of trainees to care for older adults as part of an interprofessional team. This workshop offers a promising model for needed interprofessional geriatrics education. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:1857-1863, 2020.

Geriatrics 5Ms for Primary Care Workshop.

Introduction: The Geriatrics 5Ms provide a novel framework for caring for older adults that directly maps to the current Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) core competencies in geriatrics for internal and family medicine residents. Using the 5Ms framework of Mobility, Medications, Mind, Multicomplexity, and Matters Most, we conducted a workshop for residents in a primary care clinic to improve care of older adults. Methods: Through Kern's six-step approach to curriculum development, we used our needs assessment and stakeholder interviews to guide development of a half-day Geriatrics 5Ms workshop for residents in primary care. The workshop was piloted with 33 internal medicine residents and included interactive modules and point-of-care tools for each of the Geriatrics 5Ms centered on a longitudinal primary care patient case. Results: Initial evaluation of the workshop showed high satisfaction and indicated residents appreciated learning about point-of-care tools for primary care, particularly for cognitive assessment, prognosticating, and deprescribing. Of the learners completing the workshop, 75% reported high self-efficacy ratings (score > 3.5) on the Geriatrics 5Ms domains, compared to only 40% of control learners and 20% of learners completing the preworkshop needs assessment. Discussion: A longitudinal, interactive, case-based workshop using the Geriatrics 5Ms framework improved primary care residents' self-efficacy and knowledge of tools in the care of older adults and geriatric competencies outlined by the ACGME. The workshop offers an innovative and efficient method to teach geriatrics to residents in primary care and prepare them to care for an aging population.

Finding the Sweet Spot: An Interactive Workshop on Diabetes Management in Older Adults.

Introduction: Intensive glucose lowering in older adults with diabetes leads to increased risks with minimal benefits. Surveys indicate that clinician confidence for individualizing glycemic goals and regimens remains low. We created an interactive workshop and clinical tool kit to improve clinician knowledge of safe diabetes management in older adults. Methods: Finding the Sweet Spot was a 1-hour workshop taught by pharmacists to medical and pharmacy learners that introduced a five-step framework for diabetes management in older adults. The interactive presentation included cases and a clinical tool kit based on current recommendations from the American Diabetes Association and American Geriatrics Society. Pilot workshops were held for 6 months, allowing for real-time revisions based on feedback; final implementation occurred for 6 months thereafter. We evaluated learner self-efficacy (via a 5-point Likert scale) and knowledge (via multiple-choice questions) of diabetes management in older adults before and after the workshop. Results: Thirty learners participated in Finding the Sweet Spot (70% medicine, 30% pharmacy). The percentage of confident learners increased from 55% to 97% (p < .05) after the workshop. All learners demonstrated improvements in knowledge, with the mean score on the knowledge assessment increasing from 61% to 80% (p < .05). Via open-ended feedback, learners expressed satisfaction and found the clinical tool kit especially helpful. Discussion: Our Finding the Sweet Spot workshop demonstrated statistically significant changes in self-efficacy and knowledge among learners, indicating that this interactive workshop improves medical and pharmacy provider confidence and skills in caring for older adults with diabetes.

Brown Bag Simulation to Improve Medication Management in Older Adults.

Introduction: Medical students must care for aging patients with growing medication lists and need training to address negative patient outcomes associated with polypharmacy. The literature shows that many trainees and practitioners are not confident in their abilities to care for this older population with complex medical conditions. We created an innovative simulation activity to teach safe, effective, and simplified medication management to second-year medical students. Methods: We developed the brown bag medication reconciliation simulation to improve self-efficacy and knowledge for trainees working with older adults. The case example was an older patient who presented with his brown bag of medications and prefilled pillbox for a medication reconciliation with his provider. Teams of medical students identified his medication-management errors and determined strategies for resolution. We assessed learner self-efficacy, knowledge, and satisfaction. Results: A class of 137 second-year medical students completed the simulation. The average number of learners confident about medication management in older adults increased overall by 41%, with a significant increase across all four self-efficacy domains (p < .001). The average percentage of correctly answered knowledge questions significantly increased from 85% on the presurvey to 92% on the delayed postsurvey (p = .009). Learner open-ended feedback indicated high satisfaction with the simulation. Discussion: The brown bag medication reconciliation simulation increased medical student self-efficacy and knowledge related to medication reconciliation and management for older adults. Interactive simulations like this one may be considered for inclusion in health science curricula to improve skills in medication reconciliation and management.