Getting together: administrative and clinical teamwork creates a geriatric care program for the hospital.
Sunnybrook Medical Centre, Toronto, has designed a written, multidisciplinary program of care for elderly patients in acute care. The program includes specific community outreach activities that support the in-hospital program and addresses the challenges presented by an increasingly aged population. Some of its objectives are to develop a measurement for length of stay patterns, a reduction in the number of patients waiting for relocation to a long-term care institution (commonly and derogatorily referred to as "placement problems") and an increase in patient, family and staff satisfaction. A method for program evaluation is being designed. The program takes a three-level approach to care: (1) the non-problematic elderly patient, (2) the more complex elderly patient and (3) the care of patients who have finished treatment for their acute illness but who require long-term care institutionalization.
Wells
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Sunnybrook Medical Centre, Toronto, Canada.
Saltmarche
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Adolphus
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Marshall
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D000368:Aged; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006746:Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D009864:Ontario; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D011367:Professional Staff Committees / Q000458:organization & administration*