The comprehensive care clinic

The problem of comorbidity is well represented in the elderly veteran population. Given its rapid growth, an important goal for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is to develop effective interventions to help elderly veterans better cope with their chronic comorbid conditions. This article describes a clinical demonstration project, the Comprehensive Care Clinic (CCC) in the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, implemented by its Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC) outpatient clinic staff that aimed to serve this need. The CCC was an interdisciplinary team effort to serve the psychosocial and medical needs of a population of elderly veterans with chronic comorbid conditions and who were perceived as high users of health services by their GRECC providers. The CCC consisted of a monthly group clinic supplemental to the patients' outpatient primary care clinic appointments and provided increased access to their health care team, closer monitoring of chronic illness symptoms, and education for self-care and encouraged social support among its members. It began in January 2001 and ended in December 2001.