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Early in the pandemic, the University of California, Irvine (UCI), GWEP pivoted to focus on building telehealth and remote patient monitoring, while supporting team-based interdisciplinary learners. Our Health Assessment Program for Seniors (HAPS) adapted to provide hybrid remote/in-person evaluations with our Geriatric Fellows and Doctor of Nurse Practitioner (DNP) students working alongside our multi-disciplinary team. Learner teams innovatively bridged the digital divide through weekly DNP support phone calls, and the Fellows delivered family conferences through Zoom. In ASSIST, medical students and nursing students gained digital competencies through a phone support system for isolated older adults with friendly weekly check-ins providing referrals to community resources. Another IRB-approved pilot, Healing at Home, diverted patients from the Emergency Room and In-Patient care with a team of ED, Hospitalists, Geriatricians teaching DNP and Fellows telehealth management. GWEP successfully piloted symbiotic learning for both older adults and health profession students through new virtual formats.

UC Irvine (UCI) GWEP partnerships were designed to address a startling increase in impoverished older adults and the disproportionate medical and social determinants of health faced by Latino and Asian communities. All partner clinics primarily serve racial/ethnic minorities, including Hispanic/Latino or Asian minorities (83-88%), with >90% below the 200% poverty threshold. Our major FQHCs include the academic UCI Family Health Center, Vietnamese and Korean community Services. We established an FQHC Geriatric Clinic at UCI with the 4 M’s paradigm (i.e., matter, mobility, medication, mentation) integrated into the clinic through the Medicare Annual Wellness Exam. We are disseminating this model to our smaller community sites, along with 4 M presentations. Roughly 5-7% of patients in FQHCs are over 65, allowing leadership time to prepare a foundation for increased growth. Furthermore, we have learned that each FQHC’s cultural setting and infrastructure is unique and requires a customized approach.