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Older people are a rapidly growing proportion of the population in the United States, and people’s expectations for care are evolving in tandem with their needs as aging adults. Today, there are more than 55 million people over age 65 – the majority of whom are living with more than one chronic condition – who require vital preventive services in order to get and stay healthy. Tomorrow, there will be more.

Taking a small step toward better health can be as simple as answering the phone. As part of our in-home health evaluation program, Signify Health partners with leading health plans to offer their plan members a no-cost visit by a licensed Signify Health clinician.

For example, a Medicare Advantage plan will identify members who might benefit most from an in-home visit. Once they are identified, Signify Health team members contact them to schedule an appointment.

These no-cost annual check-ins function as a supplement to a person’s annual primary care check-up and happen in the comfort of their home. According to a recent Signify Health survey, these in-home visits are well-received by the people we serve, with results showing:

New CMS rule supports standardization of data to better understand drivers of health

Time has a special meaning in geriatrics, for both patients and the geriatricians like me that treat them. Older patients are focused on maintaining their function and independence so they can enjoy every day-week-month as happily and healthily as they can. Geriatricians know that to achieve those goals, we need time to connect with patients on both a personal and professional level. Doctors have traditionally been lucky to spend even 15 minutes with their patients — just enough time to cover the chief complaint and maybe some chronic disease basics.