Outpatient Services

Full day outpatient services are available on Tuesdays and Fridays starting from 8 AM on the ground floor of the Administrative Building (600B). During these clinics, we conduct comprehensive geriatric assessments and coordinate referrals to other departments, including super specialties, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and dietary services as needed. We serve approximately 400 outpatients per clinic, providing individualised care and rational prescriptions. Geriatrics nurses, physiotherapists and medical sociologists also offer advice to patients as needed in the OPD.

The Memory Clinic operates every Saturday morning as a referral clinic, primarily serving patients from the Medicine and Neurology departments as well as other departments. This multidisciplinary, consultant-led clinic provides individualized assessments and management protocols for patients with cognitive concerns.

The Falls and Balance Clinic is a multidisciplinary, consultant-led clinic held every Wednesday afternoon. It serves patients with multiple recurrent falls with and without loss of consciousness. This clinic also manages patients recovering from surgeries for fractures, such as femoral neck or intertrochanteric fractures. The clinic also focuses on assessing and improving bone health in older patients.

Inpatient Services

We manage over 1,700 inpatients annually, offering specialized care tailored to the complex needs of older adults. In addition to the treating consultant-led team, our multidisciplinary team includes:

Occupational Therapist: Plays a crucial role in enhancing patients' quality of life by promoting independence in daily activities and equipping relatives with the skills needed to care for their loved ones.

Physiotherapist: Vital in mobilizing patients and guiding them toward regaining their previous mobility status after an acute illness or improving their quality of life in chronic conditions.

Geriatrics Nurse: Provides essential education to patients and their families on various aspects of ongoing home care, including insulin titration, inhaler techniques, and home care for bedridden patients.

Medical Sociologist: Assesses the social situations of patients and provides valuable input into their overall management.

Consultations

Our team conducts approximately 80 inpatient consultations per month, addressing the needs of patients with multiple comorbidities, polypharmacy, cognitive impairments, and mobility issues.

Clinical and Laboratory Services

We are supported by a range of ancillary services, including world-class laboratories and radiology facilities. Each super specialty department regularly contributes to our service, utilizing state-of-the-art equipment to enhance patient care.

Ongoing Clinics

1.Orthopaedic Perioperative Assessment: In collaboration with the Department of Orthopaedics, we assess patients over the age of 60 undergoing surgeries for femoral neck and intertrochanteric fractures. This consultant-led service, established in 2018, ensures a smooth perioperative period and appropriate rehabilitation.

2.Vascular Surgery: Since 2019, we have partnered with the Department of Vascular Surgery to optimize medications and address cognitive, mobility, and metabolic issues common in their patient population.

3.Falls and Balance Clinic: This weekly, consultant-led referral clinic, established in 2018, involves a comprehensive assessment by a geriatric consultant, nurse, medical sociologist, and physiotherapist. The clinic serves patients from other medical OPDs, orthopaedic OPDs,and orthopaedic wards following hip fractures.

4. Memory and Cognition Clinic: Operating since 2018, this consultant-led weekly referral clinic assesses elderly patients from medical and specialty OPDs for cognitive disorders and provides appropriate treatment.

CMC Chittoor Geriatrics

Two geriatric consultants lead both outpatient and inpatient clinics in Chittoor, a town in the neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh, about 35 km from Vellore. Initially established in 2019 as a twice-weekly outpatient clinic, this facility has since expanded to offer daily outpatient services and inpatient care. It now serves approximately 200 outpatients each week and manages around 300 inpatients annually.

Training

Undergraduate Medical Training

The Geriatric faculty assist the Department of Medicine by delivering lectures and  conducting bedside clinics for undergraduate students. Following the recent revamp of the undergraduate curriculum at the center, we have significantly increased our contributions to the education of medical students. During their internship, undergraduate students are also posted with our geriatric team, providing them with a deeper understanding of the unique presentations and management strategies required for older patients.

M.D. Postgraduate Training

We offer a recognized MD (Geriatrics) program with an annual intake of five students. The postgraduate training is predominantly hands-on, featuring intensive journal clubs, seminars,bedside clinics, daily rounds, and a dissertation. By the end of the program, postgraduates should be capable of delivering holistic care to each individual in an ethical manner, while considering the financial burden, the vision of the nation, and the ethos of the institution.

Postgraduate Fellowship in Geriatric Medicine

We have a one-year postgraduate fellowship in Geriatric Medicine for those with a degree in Internal Medicine or Family Medicine. This course aims to equip doctors with the skills necessary to comprehensively assess and treat geriatric patients, in the spirit of Christ.

Postgraduate Diploma in Geriatric Medicine

The Postgraduate Diploma in Geriatric Medicine was initiated to educate doctors at the grassroots level in the nuances of geriatrics. As the course evolved, it attracted many doctors with postgraduate degrees, prompting a major syllabus upgrade in 2020. This course offers a blended program that includes online modules, assignments, projects, and contact programs, culminating in a summative assessment. It is a popular course run by the Department of Geriatrics, with support from the Department of Distance Education. Doctors from Nepal and Bangladesh also have attended and benefitted from this program.

Clinical and Laboratory Training

Comprehensive geriatric assessments, including cognitive scales, nutrition assessment, depression screening, and falls and balance evaluation are integral components of our training. All faculty and students are thoroughly trained in the use of these tools.

CMEs and CNEs

We regularly conduct Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) and Continuing Medical Education (CME) sessions for nurses and allied health personnel in and around Vellore to update their skills in geriatrics. In collaboration with the CME department, we also organize CMEs for general practitioners in the region.