Misplaced elderly patients in hospital: clarifying responsibilities.
In an attempt to assess the service provided by a geriatric department for the elderly population within its District, a census of the elderly patients occupying general medical beds in the same District was undertaken. These patients were assessed according to five criteria which identified patients as 'geriatric'. Sixty-one per cent of the patients occupying general medical beds were over the age of 65 years, and almost a half of these were geriatric according to the criteria used. The authors conclude that quantifying misplaced geriatric patients by screening for geriatric characteristics in a general medical population was a useful way of auditing the performance of a geriatric service.
Department of Health Care for the Elderly, Ladywell Hospital, Salford.
J
J
Whitaker
R
R
Tallis
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D001509:Bed Occupancy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004739:England; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D005853:Geriatrics; D006757:Hospital Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000145:classification; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014600:Utilization Review