[Temporary medicosocial admission: alternative to hospitalization of elderly persons?]

The orientation of elderly patients, temporarily disabled, to acute care beds is inappropriate because of its adverse effects on functional status and its costs. The creation of short-stay units (SSU) in nursing homes provides an alternative to acute care hospitalization. The aim of this retrospective study, involving the first 64 patients oriented to the SSU from the emergency center, was to evaluate this new health care network. The analysis was focused on the rate of appropriate orientation (site of living at four month; subsequent medical events), as well as the functional quality of this health care network. Information were collected from medical records of the 64 patients oriented to SSU and 64 sex- and age-matched patients admitted during the same period, and the opinion of the network's partners. The mean age of patients and controls was 82 years. Four months after admission to the SSU, the orientation was considered appropriate in 58% of the cases (living at home without subsequent hospitalization), doubtful in 8%, and inappropriate in 33%; 27% of patients and 13% of controls were living definitely in nursing homes (p < 0.1). No medical or social characteristics was correlated to inappropriate orientations. In conclusion, the creation of SSU may be considered as an improvement in the care of elderly patients. The main problem of this orientation was the high percentage of patients living permanently in a nursing home four months later. Accurate assessment's tools capable to predict the subsequent decrease of the functional status should be used in the daily practice in order to improve the orientation of elderly patients.