Summary of the core competencies of geriatric psychiatrists, geriatricians and family physicians with certification in Care of the Elderly, by CanMEDS Roles
| CanMEDS role | Competency | Geriatric psychiatrist | Geriatrician | Family medicine, Care of the Elderly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical expert/family medicine expert | Differentiates normal and abnormal aging | X | X | X |
| Considers a patient’s comorbidities, frailty and functional status to prognosis | X | X | X | |
| Prevents, diagnoses and manages delirium | X | X | X | |
| Examines, diagnoses and manages neurocognitive disorders (i.e., dementia) and associated behavioural changes or disturbances | X | X | X | |
| Appropriately prescribes pharmaceuticals | X | X | X | |
| Elicits patient histories | X | X | X | |
| Tailors interventions for health promotion and disease prevention | X | X | X | |
| Assesses issues related to capacity and competency (i.e., personal decision-making, driving) | X | X | X | |
| Enquire about caregiver stress and capacity | X | X | X | |
| Knowledgeable about end-of-life care | X | X | X | |
| Applies best practices for falls prevention and screening | X | X | ||
| Diagnoses and manages osteoporosis and fracture risk | X | X | ||
| Develops rehabilitative approaches | X | X | ||
| Performs detailed medication reviews | X | X | ||
| Assesses for urinary incontinence | X | X | ||
| Diagnoses and manages pain | X | X | ||
| Manages palliative and end-of-life care issues | X | X | ||
| Knowledgeable about psychotherapeutic constructs, psychopharmacology and therapeutic approaches | X | |||
| Exhibits extensive knowledge about mental illnesses and psychiatric disorders | X | |||
| Performs a comprehensive geriatrics assessment | X | |||
| Diagnoses and manages bowel dysfunction | X | |||
| Communicator | Elicits and synthesizes information from patients, families and care providers | X | X | X |
| Recognizes and mitigates communication barriers | X | X | X | |
| Considers the merits of a second opinion | X | X | X | |
| Ensures communication during transfers or handover | X | X | X | |
| Prioritizes issues for patient encounters with a recognition that the role is that of a specialist (not a primary care provider) | X | X | ||
| Proficient in the use of telepsychiatry | X | |||
| Collaborator | Performs timely consults | X | X | X |
| Exhibits respect for team members | X | X | X | |
| Collaborates on assessments and care management | X | X | X | |
| Respects the scopes of practice, differences and overlapping or shared responsibilities of providers | X | X | X | |
| Engages in shared decision-making with families and caregivers | X | X | X | |
| Identifies opportunities for learning and improvement | X | X | X | |
| Plans and delivers learning activities | X | X | X | |
| Describes the roles and responsibilities of geriatric mental health care teams and show leadership in teams | X | |||
| Acts as an expert resource on issues such as mental health legislation | X | |||
| Leader | Knowledgeable about community resources | X | X | X |
| Mediates and resolves conflicts within interprofessional teams | X | X | X | |
| Applies quality improvement principles to evaluate and improve health care systems and cost-appropriate care | X | X | X | |
| Understands the health care system relevant to caring for older patients | X | X | ||
| Competent in the use of health informatics to improve care quality and optimize safety | X | |||
| Engages in stewardship of health care resources | X | X | X | |
| Health advocate | Adapts to meet patient needs and preferences | X | X | X |
| Recognizes and manages abuse, neglect and mistreatment of older adults | X | X | X | |
| Advocates for essential hospital and community resources and services | X | X | X | |
| Identifies and responds to policies affecting health | X | X | X | |
| Identifies vulnerable and marginalized populations and responds to cultural issues | X | X | ||
| Identifies patient vulnerabilities | X | |||
| Advocates for evidence-based health promotion | X | |||
| Determines the need for immediate intervention, such as home visits | X | |||
| Scholar | Recognizes knowledge limitations or gaps in literature specific to the medical care of geriatric populations | X | X | X |
| Critically appraises evidence, research and literature | X | X | ||
| Poses scholarly questions, selects and applies methods to address questions, and communicates and disseminates findings | X | X | ||
| Participates in research, program development, medical education and other activities that improve the delivery of services | X | X | X | |
| Recognizes the influence of role modelling and the effect of the formal, informal and hidden curricula on learners | X | |||
| Professional | Identifies the capacity for decision-making | X | X | X |
| Obtains and documents informed consent | X | X | X | |
| Respects confidentiality, privacy and ethical codes | X | X | X | |
| Adheres to substitute decision-making policies | X | X | X | |
| Exhibits appropriate professional boundaries | X | X | ||
| Shows a commitment to high-quality care and excellence | X | X | ||
| Prioritizes personal and professional duties | X | X |