Describing Nursing Home Physicians With Competence or Focused Practice in Caring for Older Adults

Family physicians provide comprehensive medical care in nursing homes (NHs) as a core family medicine practice setting. NH residents receive regular medical care from their most responsible physician (MRP), who oversees, directs and manages daily care needs. Most NH MRPs are family physicians/general practitioners1; some have “Care of the Elderly” certification reflecting enhanced skills training and additional competence to care for older adults.2 Family physicians in Ontario may also apply for a focused practice billing designation to increasingly care for older patients.