Related Experiment Videos
[District geriatrics in Nordmøre]
1Medisinsk avdeling, Fylkessjukehuset i Kristiansund.
Summary
A mobile geriatric assessment service in rural Norway improved access to care for elderly patients. General practitioners and nurses reported high satisfaction with the project, highlighting its value in underserved areas.
Area of Science:
- Geriatrics
- Rural Health
- Healthcare Services
Context:
- Limited access to geriatric assessment in sparsely populated areas of Norway.
- Establishment of a non-acute, ambulatory geriatric service in Nordmøre region in 1990.
- The service involved physician and nurse visits to six municipalities between 1990 and 1992.
Purpose:
- To describe the implementation and initial outcomes of a novel ambulatory geriatric assessment service.
- To assess the feasibility and utility of bringing geriatric care to remote elderly populations.
- To evaluate the satisfaction of referring general practitioners and district nurses with the service.
Summary:
- 19 visits were conducted, assessing 59 patients referred for reasons including mental impairment, functional decline, and rehabilitation needs.
- The service was delivered by a physician and nurse team from an outpatient clinic for the elderly.
- Referrals primarily stemmed from general practitioners facing challenges in accessing specialized geriatric care for their patients.
Impact:
- Positive feedback received from 10 out of 11 referring general practitioners (GPs).
- Leading district nurses also expressed satisfaction with the project.
- The study indicates a successful model for extending geriatric assessment to rural and underserved populations.