A research agenda for geriatric emergency medicine.
OBJECTIVE
The Research Agenda Setting Process (RASP), part of the American Geriatric Society's (AGS's) project "Increasing Geriatric Expertise in Surgical and Related Medical Specialties," was designed to define a research agenda for the geriatrics aspects of participating specialties. This paper presents a summary of the research agenda for emergency medicine.


METHODS
The RASP was developed by the AGS in conjunction with experts from the participating specialty organizations. A "content expert" (CE) for each specialty developed a Medline search strategy in conjunction with RAND Health librarians. The CE reviewed the search to identify papers that were germane to research in the emergency care of older patients. The CE and a senior writing group member drafted a paper that synthesized the current literature and suggested areas for further research. A panel consisting of AGS members and emergency physicians with geriatrics expertise reviewed this paper. The research agenda was further refined at a two-day retreat. Two senior geriatricians reviewed the resulting paper.


RESULTS
The Medline search for emergency medicine resulted in a list of 3,348 articles; 299 articles were pertinent and reviewed. The search for trauma resulted in a list of 1,838 articles; 133 were reviewed. Research agenda items were defined for multiple topics within geriatric emergency medicine and trauma.


CONCLUSIONS
A research agenda for geriatric emergency medicine has been developed, using a combination of review of current literature and expert opinion.
Wilber
Scott T
ST
Department of Emergency Medicine , Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine, Akron, OH 44309, USA. wilbers@summa-health.org
Gerson
Lowell W
LW
D000368:Aged; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000193:education; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy