Specialist geriatric medical assessment for patients discharged from hospital acute assessment units: Randomised controlled trial (UK)

22 oct 2013--This individual patient randomised-controlled trial evaluated the effect of specialist geriatric medical management on the outcomes of at risk older people discharged from acute medical assessment units, compared with usual care.

The study was set in 2 hospitals in Nottingham and Leicester, UK, and participants were 433 patients aged 70 or over who were discharged within 72 hours of attending an acute medical assessment unit and at risk of decline as indicated by a score of at least 2 on the Identification of Seniors At Risk tool.

The intervention was an assessment made on the acute medical assessment unit and further outpatient management by specialist physicians in geriatric medicine, including advice and support to primary care services.

Based on the results of the trial, the authors conclude that this specialist geriatric medical intervention applied to an at risk population of older people attending and being discharged from acute medical units had no effect on patients’ outcomes or subsequent use of secondary care or long term care.

This is an open access article and is available to read in free full text at:  http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f5874

Edmans J ,Bradshaw L ,Franklin M ,Gladman J & Conroy S. (2013). Specialist geriatric medical assessment for patients discharged from hospital acute assessment units: Randomised controlled trial. BMJ:f5874.