Geriatric medicine in the emergency department.

ABSTRACT

Studies suggest older adults attending emergency departments(ED) benefit from specialist geriatric medicine evaluation. Findings from a pilot ED Geriatric Medicine(GM) liaison service in our 480-bed university hospital are presented. This is not a randomized controlled trial. Service comprised consultant geriatrician and senior trainee-led sessions during daytime working hours. Senior ED personnel selected appropriate patients. GM service also took over ED medical admissions aged 80, 1 in 9 days from General Internal Medicine(GIM). 49% of 284 patients (83.5 +/- 6.8 years) referred, were discharged from ED with appropriate follow-up. Inpatient analysis comprised 51% admitted to GIM, GM and specialist services as per on-call rota and 268 patients taken over from GIM. Patients under GM had shorter length of stay (p < 0.001). The findings suggest specialty specific geriatric medicine management of the older adult presenting to ED can improve service and patient outcomes.