Related Experiment Videos
Emergency day hospital assessments
1Elderly Medical Unit, Queen Marys Hospital, Sidcup, Kent, UK.
Clinical Rehabilitation
|December 31, 1997
Summary
Geriatric day hospitals offer effective emergency multidisciplinary assessment as an alternative to hospital admission for frail older adults. This approach successfully met patient needs without immediate hospitalization for many, reducing subsequent admissions.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Emergency Medicine
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Frail older adults often require urgent assessment.
- Traditional emergency hospital admission may not always be the optimal pathway.
- Alternative models of care are needed to manage acute needs of the elderly.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of a geriatric day hospital.
- To assess its role as an alternative to emergency hospital admission.
- To determine the effectiveness of multidisciplinary assessment in this setting.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study design.
- Analysis of clinical practice changes.
- Focus on a district general hospital setting.
Main Results:
- 67 consecutive referrals were analyzed.
- 63% of patients' needs were met without emergency hospital admission.
- Only 29% of non-admitted patients required subsequent hospital admission within three months.
Conclusions:
- Geriatric day hospital assessments are a viable alternative to immediate hospital admission.
- Multidisciplinary assessment in a day hospital setting benefits select frail older patients.
- This model can help optimize resource utilization in geriatric care.