SATISFACTION WITH OUTPATIENT GERIATRIC EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT (GEM)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate high-risk older adults' sati sfaction with outpatient geriatric evaluation and management (GEM). Co mmunity-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries (n = 522) age 70 years and old er who had a high probability of repeated admission to hospitals (P-ra > .40) were randomly assigned to receive either usual care or GEM for six months. Despite the stresses imposed by outpatient GEM (e.g., new relationships with providers, frequent office visits and changes in t reatments), the mean satisfaction scores of the recipients of GEM were 9% higher than those of the recipients of usual care (4.31 vs 3.96, p < .001). The primary physicians of GEM recipients were also highly sa tisfied with GEM care.