End-of-life care: A retrospective cohort study of older people who died within 48 hours of presentation to the emergency department.
Emerg Med Australas
; 36(1): 13-23, 2024 Feb.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37914673
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
To describe the characteristics of, and care provided to, older people who died within 48 h of ED presentation.METHODS:
A descriptive retrospective cohort study of people 65 years and older presenting to two EDs in Queensland, Australia, between April 2018 and March 2019. Data from electronic medical records were collected and analysed.RESULTS:
Two hundred and ninety-five older people who died within 48 h of ED presentation were included. Nearly all arrived by ambulance (92%, n = 272) and 36% (n = 106) were from aged care facilities. Three-quarters (75%, n = 222) were triaged into the most urgent triage categories (i.e. Australasian Triage Scale; ATS 1/2). Fewer than half were previously independent with mobility (38%, n = 111) and activities of daily living (43%, n = 128). Sixty-one per cent (n = 181) had a pre-existing healthcare directive. Twenty-two per cent (n = 66) died in ED, most commonly due to pneumonia, intracerebral haemorrhage, cardiac arrest and/or sepsis. Over half had one or more ED visits (52%, n = 154) and/or hospital admissions (52%, n = 152) 6 months prior.CONCLUSIONS:
Identification of patients at end-of-life (EoL) is not always straightforward; consider recent reduction in independence and recent ED visits/hospital admissions. System-based strategies that span pre-hospital, ED and in-patient care are recommended to facilitate EoL pathway implementation and care continuity.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Contexto en salud:
1_ASSA2030
Problema de salud:
1_sistemas_informacao_saude
Asunto principal:
Cuidado Terminal
/
Actividades Cotidianas
Límite:
Aged
/
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Emerg Med Australas
Asunto de la revista:
MEDICINA DE EMERGENCIA
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Australia