Geriatric research, education and clinical centers: their impact in the development of American geriatrics.

The GRECC program was established by the VA in 1975 and has been expanded since then to 16 sites. For more than a decade, GRECC staff have made major contributions to advancing the understanding of the aging process and developing approaches that have improved the care of older veterans as well as all frail elderly persons in the United States. Most notably, GRECC staff have been among the leading scientists in the field of aging, have stimulated the growth of some of the highest quality university-based geriatric programs in the country, have provided clinical training in geriatrics to thousands of health professional students and practitioners, and have developed innovative models of geriatric care. The GRECC model of integrating research, education, and clinical activities in a "center of excellence" with specific goals and expectations serves as one of the best examples of how scientific advances can be applied effectively to direct patient care.