Related Experiment Videos
Home visiting by a geriatric department
The Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
|January 1, 1981
Summary
Geriatric home visits improve patient care by providing consultations and assessing hospital admission needs. Improving referral information, including psychological state and drug therapy, enhances geriatrician and general practitioner collaboration.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Internal Medicine
- Healthcare Delivery
Background:
- Home visiting by geriatricians is a key practice in inner-city healthcare.
- This service includes domiciliary consultations and admission assessments.
- Over 4,000 visits have been conducted since 1962.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the practice of geriatric home visiting.
- To analyze the types of visits and referral information.
- To identify areas for improving communication and referral quality.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 4,000 geriatric home visits conducted since 1962.
- Detailed review of 100 visits from 1977, categorizing visit types (consultation vs. admission request).
- Examination of referral information provided by general practitioners.
Main Results:
- In 1977, 45% of visits were domiciliary consultations and 55% were requests for admission assessment.
- 56 patients required immediate admission, with 5 more admitted after outpatient appointments.
- Referrals often lacked details on psychological state, chronic disabilities, and drug therapy (mentioned in only 27% of referrals).
Conclusions:
- Incomplete referral information limits the effectiveness of geriatric home visits.
- Increased collaboration, such as accompanied visits, and standardized checklists could improve referral quality.
- Enhanced communication between geriatricians and general practitioners is crucial for optimal patient management.