Abstract
Elderly people make extensive use of the Emergency Department (ED). After discharge from the ED, these patients are at high risk of short-term adverse outcomes such as functional decline, readmission to the ED, hospitalization and death. We investigated whether a comprehensive geriatric evaluation (CGE) and follow-up of the elderly discharged from the ED can provide them with better diagnosis and treatment, and thus reduce adverse outcomes. Out of 423 elderly patients over 75 years of age discharged from an ED we evaluated 222 of them. The patients were evaluated and treated, based on testing for physical, functional, cognitive and emotional status. A comparison was made between scale scores at baseline and 3 months later. We observed a significant improvement in physical and emotional status in all the studied patients, a significant improvement in behavioural status in the elderly patients with cognitive dysfunction, and a reduction of distress in the caregivers of the elderly patients with cognitive dysfunction and behavioural disturbances. We also found that the rate of ED readmission or hospitalization was lower than in the 3 months preceding the CGE. The experience of older patients with the ED system can be greatly improved if their complex needs are given due attention by developing interdisciplinary programs between emergency physicians, geriatricians, and primary care physicians.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 245-249 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Internal and Emergency Medicine |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Sep 2008 |
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Keywords
- Aging
- Comprehensive geriatric evaluation
- Emergency Department
- Hospitalization
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Emergency Medicine
- Internal Medicine
Cite this
A comprehensive evaluation of elderly people discharged from an Emergency Department. / Ballabio, Claudia; Bergamaschini, Luigi; Mauri, Sabrina; Baroni, Erica; Ferretti, Marco; Bilotta, Claudio; Vergani, Carlo.
In: Internal and Emergency Medicine, Vol. 3, No. 3, 09.2008, p. 245-249.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - A comprehensive evaluation of elderly people discharged from an Emergency Department
AU - Ballabio, Claudia
AU - Bergamaschini, Luigi
AU - Mauri, Sabrina
AU - Baroni, Erica
AU - Ferretti, Marco
AU - Bilotta, Claudio
AU - Vergani, Carlo
PY - 2008/9
Y1 - 2008/9
N2 - Elderly people make extensive use of the Emergency Department (ED). After discharge from the ED, these patients are at high risk of short-term adverse outcomes such as functional decline, readmission to the ED, hospitalization and death. We investigated whether a comprehensive geriatric evaluation (CGE) and follow-up of the elderly discharged from the ED can provide them with better diagnosis and treatment, and thus reduce adverse outcomes. Out of 423 elderly patients over 75 years of age discharged from an ED we evaluated 222 of them. The patients were evaluated and treated, based on testing for physical, functional, cognitive and emotional status. A comparison was made between scale scores at baseline and 3 months later. We observed a significant improvement in physical and emotional status in all the studied patients, a significant improvement in behavioural status in the elderly patients with cognitive dysfunction, and a reduction of distress in the caregivers of the elderly patients with cognitive dysfunction and behavioural disturbances. We also found that the rate of ED readmission or hospitalization was lower than in the 3 months preceding the CGE. The experience of older patients with the ED system can be greatly improved if their complex needs are given due attention by developing interdisciplinary programs between emergency physicians, geriatricians, and primary care physicians.
AB - Elderly people make extensive use of the Emergency Department (ED). After discharge from the ED, these patients are at high risk of short-term adverse outcomes such as functional decline, readmission to the ED, hospitalization and death. We investigated whether a comprehensive geriatric evaluation (CGE) and follow-up of the elderly discharged from the ED can provide them with better diagnosis and treatment, and thus reduce adverse outcomes. Out of 423 elderly patients over 75 years of age discharged from an ED we evaluated 222 of them. The patients were evaluated and treated, based on testing for physical, functional, cognitive and emotional status. A comparison was made between scale scores at baseline and 3 months later. We observed a significant improvement in physical and emotional status in all the studied patients, a significant improvement in behavioural status in the elderly patients with cognitive dysfunction, and a reduction of distress in the caregivers of the elderly patients with cognitive dysfunction and behavioural disturbances. We also found that the rate of ED readmission or hospitalization was lower than in the 3 months preceding the CGE. The experience of older patients with the ED system can be greatly improved if their complex needs are given due attention by developing interdisciplinary programs between emergency physicians, geriatricians, and primary care physicians.
KW - Aging
KW - Comprehensive geriatric evaluation
KW - Emergency Department
KW - Hospitalization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=49649099034&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=49649099034&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11739-008-0151-1
DO - 10.1007/s11739-008-0151-1
M3 - Article
C2 - 18421427
AN - SCOPUS:49649099034
VL - 3
SP - 245
EP - 249
JO - Internal and Emergency Medicine
JF - Internal and Emergency Medicine
SN - 1828-0447
IS - 3
ER -