Outcomes Observed Within Embedded Geriatric Services in Emergency General Surgery: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Surgical Care
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Aging populations and surgical advancements necessitate specialized geriatric management in emergency general surgery.
• Integrating proactive geriatric services may improve hospital and patient outcomes.
• This review synthesizes evidence on the measurable outcomes of embedded geriatric care in this setting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize evidence on the measurable outcomes of embedded geriatric care within emergency general surgery.
• To assess the impact of geriatric services on hospital and patient-based metrics.
• To identify research gaps in this specialized area of care.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was performed across major databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Scopus).
• Eight prospective pre-post studies evaluating embedded geriatric services in emergency general surgery were included.
• Key outcomes assessed included patient-reported outcomes, length of stay (LOS), mortality, complications, ICU admission, readmission, and institutionalization.

Main Results:

• Seven out of eight studies reported a reduction in length of stay (LOS), with four showing statistical significance.
• Outcomes for mortality, readmission, and complication rates were variable across studies.
• Patient-related outcomes were reported in only one study, showing no significant pre-post effects.

Conclusions:

• Published data on integrated geriatric care in emergency general surgery is scarce but consistently suggests a decrease in LOS.
• Further research is essential to validate the broader impact of integrated geriatric care on hospital and patient outcomes.
• More studies are needed to confirm benefits and explore effects on patient-centered metrics.