Screening instruments for identification of vulnerable older adults at the emergency department: a critical appraisal

Early detection of vulnerable older adults at the emergency department (ED) and implementation of targeted interventions to prevent functional decline may lead to better patient outcomes.

To assess the level of agreement between four frequently used screening instruments: ISAR-HP, VMS, InterRAI ED Screener and APOP.

Observational prospective cohort study in patients ≥ 70 years attending Dutch ED.

The prevalence of vulnerability ranged from 19% (APOP) to 45% (ISAR-HP). Overall there was a moderate agreement between the screening instruments (Fleiss Kappa of 0.42 (p<0.001)).

Depending on the screening instrument used, either only a small percentage or almost as many as half of the presenting patients will be eligible for targeted interventions, leading to large dissimilarities in working processes, resources and costs.