Emergency services : a program dedicated to the elderly reduced hospital admissions

michaeljung/epictura

Published the 16.01.2018 at 08: 30 am

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It is important to reduce the rate of hospitalization of elderly patients because the hospital can increase their risk for psychological disorders, infections, and falls. During and after hospitalization, many older people have a loss of independence and decreased functional abilities and quality of life. “With this program, we have created a safety net is non-existent otherwise for this vulnerable population,” boasts Dr. Scott Dresden, co-author of the article.
In the study, nurses in the emergency focus specifically on geriatric care, and determine if the patients in the emergency department aged 65 years and older were already in decline, either physical or mental, if they have problems at home or even if they have medical complications that are common in older adults.

A follow-up work

The patients who visited the emergency department and who have received specialized care are admitted to the hospital in 36% of cases, while patients not receiving specialized care are admitted in 53% of cases.
The nurses participating in the research were asked a series of questions such as “who is the current president of the United States?” or ” what was the maiden name of your mother? “to determine the cognitive status of the patient.
In the framework of the program, patients return home to receive follow-up calls. They are sometimes transferred directly to a nursing home if the nurse determines that this is the best line of conduct.

“This program is a model that other hospitals can easily adopt because they do not need to build a separate space “, welcomes Scott Dresden.