Effectiveness of Interprofessional Consultation-Based Interventions for Delirium: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Delirium Management
• Interprofessional Healthcare

Background:

• Established models for delirium care include interprofessional geriatric consultation teams and multicomponent interventions.
• Combining these models into interprofessional consultative delirium team interventions is a novel approach requiring further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the effectiveness of consultation-based interventions for delirium.
• To identify the core components of these interventions.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across multiple databases (Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ProQuest).
• Data extraction focused on core intervention components, patient outcomes, and implementation facilitators and barriers.

Main Results:

• Ten studies were included in the review.
• Core components identified: systematic delirium screening, ongoing consultation, non-pharmacologic/pharmacologic interventions, and staff education.
• Evidence suggests reductions in delirium incidence (1/6 studies), duration (1/2 studies), and falls (2/3 studies).

Conclusions:

• Intervention operationalization and effectiveness demonstrated significant variability despite consistent team structures and core components.
• The interprofessional consultative delirium team model shows promise for reducing delirium and its adverse outcomes.