Collaboration between geriatricians and general surgeons

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Surgical Care
• Healthcare Collaboration

Background:

• Elderly patients on surgical wards often require specialized geriatric assessment and care.
• Effective collaboration between surgical and geriatric teams is crucial for optimizing patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the operational outcomes of a collaborative model between general surgeons and geriatricians over ten years.
• To evaluate the impact of joint ward rounds on patient care and resource utilization.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of weekly ward rounds involving geriatricians and consultant surgeons on general surgical wards (120 beds).
• Geriatricians provided medical advice and facilitated transfers for assessment, treatment, rehabilitation, or long-term/terminal care.
• Tracking of patient transfers, comprising approximately 2% of patients over 65 admitted to surgical units.

Main Results:

• Approximately 240 transfers were managed, with malignant disease being the most common surgical diagnosis.
• Significant proportions of transferred patients had no operation (43%) or no medical diagnosis (18%).
• 64% of transferred patients were discharged home, with varied lengths of stay post-assessment.

Conclusions:

• The collaborative system proved effective, enhancing care for elderly surgical patients.
• The model offered benefits to both surgical and geriatric teams with minimal additional workload.
• This interdisciplinary approach demonstrates a cost-effective method for integrated geriatric and surgical patient management.