The Value of Having a Medical Care Team

The Value of Having a Medical Care Team

Gene, age 75, struggled with several health conditions as well as the grief, loneliness and anxiety associated with his wife’s recent death. He sometimes confused a sudden panic attack with a heart attack. Each time this happened, Gene went to the emergency room. There, he was unnecessarily admitted as an in-patient due to his other chronic conditions.

Many people have medical challenges that are complicated by social and mental health issues. In a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 18% of those who frequent the emergency room have a mental health condition, compared to only 6% of the study population. While the emergency room can treat the patient’s symptoms, they do not typically deal with the underlying social or mental health issues.

How Landmark’s Medical Care Team Can Help

To be the most helpful, clinicians need to understand each patient’s physical and mental health as well as their social situation and living environment. Landmark’s home visits allow for longer conversations between the patient and provider that can build trust and help to address the patient’s health and quality of life.

Landmark patients have access to a range of specialized clinicians for in-home evaluation and treatment. Landmark’s team adds to the care the patient already receives from their primary care physician.

Landmark’s Specialized Roles

We can help each patient with their individual needs because we have specialized roles on each of our local care teams. For example, for a patient such as Gene, each member of Landmark’s care team would be able to help him in a different way.

Nurse Care Manager

A Nurse Care Manager can answer Gene’s urgent call for anxiety, and coach him over the phone on breathing and relaxation. He or she can explain the difference in symptoms between panic and heart problems.

Medical Provider

A Landmark medical provider (doctor or advanced care practitioner) could visit Gene on an urgent basis, to assess and treat him at home.

Social Worker

A Landmark social worker may visit Gene to assess and address his social risk factors and needs.

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

A psychiatric nurse practitioner could prescribe medication and ensure appropriate support to help Gene deal with his anxiety and panic attacks.

Pharmacist

Landmark pharmacists can help ensure Gene uses his medications safely and effectively, and determine medicine options, dosages, and ways to reduce his prescription costs.

This collaborative team approach to patient care helps Landmark deliver meaningful results, including high patient satisfaction, reduced hospitalizations, and better quality of life.