Preventable presentations of older adults to emergency departments: General practitioners' perspectives

To describe general practitioners' (GP) perspectives of older patients presenting to the ED, reasons they would refer to the ED and how they utilise community services to help manage older adults.

A descriptive study conducted in the Sutherland Shire, Sydney. Case files were compiled using electronic medical records for 50 patients over 70 years old who presented to the ED of The Sutherland Hospital, a teaching hospital in Sydney. Surveys were provided to 10 GPs who each analysed five patients' presentations. Primary outcome was whether the GP would refer the patient to the ED. Secondary outcomes included reasons GPs referred to the ED, and their referral patterns of local community services.

Of the 50 patients who presented to the ED, GPs would have referred 21 (42%) to the ED and managed 29 (58%) in the community. The most common reasons GPs would have referred to the ED was that they were 'too unwell', or needed 'urgent imaging or blood tests'. In 26 (52%) of the patients, GPs were aware of a local service that could help manage the patient and would have made that referral in 21 (42%) patients. Rapid Access Diagnosis and Intervention Unit and Geriatric Flying Squad are two of the local aged care services GPs would have referred to most commonly.

GPs reported they would have been able to manage a significant proportion of older adults who presented to the ED in the community without referring to the ED. Severe and acute illness requiring urgent evaluation and intervention was the main reason GPs would refer to the ED.