International Community Health Services (ICHS) today announced Eric ‘Ric’ Troyer, MD has been hired as medical director of its proposed Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), an innovative Medicare and Medicaid program that provides comprehensive health care and services to meet the needs of frail adults 55 and older. PACE centers aim to keep people in their homes and communities and out of a nursing home. ICHS plans to open a PACE center at Legacy House located in the International District in spring 2019. Previously, Dr. Troyer served as executive medical director of Swedish Medical Group’s continuum of care.

Dr. Troyer brings 20 years of leadership in geriatric medicine to his role at ICHS, where he will be responsible for developing ICHS capacity and programs serving the elderly, with particular emphasis on the PACE model of care. He will direct the delivery of care at the proposed ICHS PACE at Legacy House, which will open in spring 2019, assembling and leading an interdisciplinary care team, and developing and growing related community partnerships.

Studies show that PACE enrollees have better health outcomes – with fewer hospital admissions, hospital days, emergency room visits and preventable emergency room visits – at the same time Medicare and Medicaid realize significant cost savings.

“I’m pleased to welcome Ric to the ICHS team. His expertise will be invaluable as we respond to an aging baby boomer population and evidence pointing to the advantages of programs that facilitate ‘aging in place.’ Not only are there individual and systemic cost savings, but there are also emotional, social and health benefits to consider when people stay in their homes and within their communities,” said Dr. Rayburn Lewis, ICHS chief medical officer. “Ric will bring tremendous insight as we expand delivery of highly coordinated and personalized care for older, frail adults and help them live more safely, comfortably and independently.”

Dr. Troyer led a number of departments and areas of specialty during his tenure with Swedish Medical Group, including starting a transitional care program for recently hospitalized patients in 2011, and serving as the chief of family medicine at Swedish Medical Center, First Hill Campus from 2005 to 2007. He has been on staff as an active physician at Swedish Medical Center since 1998. From 2006 to 2011, Dr. Troyer served as the medical director for Evercare in Washington and Oregon, directing clinical care models for several special needs populations including those with chronic disease, those living in nursing homes, and those with Medicare and Medicaid. 

Over the span of his career, Dr. Troyer has contributed his leadership to a number of medical directorships and the delivery of geriatric care, alternative health care, chronic disease management and primary care to underserved populations for hospital systems and nursing facilities throughout the Puget Sound area. He was the president of the Washington State Medical Directors Association from 2009 to 2018 and currently serves as an assistant clinical professor with the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Troyer obtained his MD from the Medical College of Virginia and completed his residency at Swedish Family Medicine followed by geriatric and faculty-development fellowships at Swedish and the University of Washington.

ICHS PACE programs address a growing need

The U.S. Census estimates nearly 25% of King County’s total population will be 65 years or older by 2040 — up from about 18%. ICHS plans to further meet the area’s needs for affordable senior health services by establishing PACE programs. These include Aging in PACE (AiPACE) Washington, a new non-profit organization that partners Kin On and ICHS to open a $20 million PACE center in North Beacon Hill, slated to open in 2021.