title: The roles of general and geriatric medicine in the provision of acute medical care for elderly patients.
abstract: To determine whether there are differences between elderly patients admitted acutely to general medicine and those admitted to geriatric medical wards, and whether the patients are appropriately referred, a prospective survey of 426 consecutive patients aged 65 years or over admitted acutely to general medical and geriatric wards over a three month period was performed. A total of 286 patients were admitted to general medicine (GM) and 140 to the geriatric unit (GER). GER patients were older (81.0 v. 75.8 years) and had greater pre-morbid functional impairment and incontinence. Fewer GER patients presented with readily apparent organ specific diagnoses (56% v. 94%). Median length of stay was longer in GER patients (23 days v. 9 days). Variables independently predictive of GER admission were increasing age, increasing duration of illness, poor pre-morbid functional status and prior reliance on a carer. Length of stay was not associated with unit of admission allowing for the variables described above. GER patients are a different population. They have more chronic illness and functional impairment, and are more likely to require multidisciplinary assessment and rehabilitation in addition to treatment of presenting illness. Elderly patients are appropriately referred by General Practitioners (GPs) without a formal admissions policy.
authors.affiliation: Victoria Geriatric Unit, Glasgow.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Beard
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Dall
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Lennox
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Macfarlane
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003933:Diagnosis; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012606:Scotland