title: Benefits of active participation of family physicians in geriatric consultations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Geriatric consultation services are generally beneficial in improving the health and well-being of the elderly. We prospectively studied whether the active participation of family physicians (FPs) in the process of geriatric consultation would improve implementation rates and benefit the health care of the elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a comparative prospective intervention study in three urban academic family medicine clinics. Patients in the control clinics were evaluated by the consultant geriatrician, and a summary of the findings and recommendations were presented to the FP in a brief meeting. In the intervention clinic, the referring FP joined the geriatrician throughout the geriatric assessment. The percentage of implementation of suggested recommendations was evaluated. Information regarding the utilization of health services was provided from computerized data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 212 patients included in the study, 107 were in the intervention group and 105 were controls. The overall rate of implementation was significantly higher for patients in the intervention group (329/445; 73.9%) than for patients in the control group (232/387; 59.9%), P < 0.0001. In the year after the geriatric assessment, those in the intervention group visited the FP less often.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A model co-consultation actively involving the FP in the process of assessment of the older patient by the geriatrician improves the degree of implementation of recommendations without an increase in related heath care utilization and costs. This model should be further developed and studied.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Siaal Research Center for Family Medicine and Primary Care, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. yanp@bgu.ac.il
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Press
authors.forename: Aya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Biderman
authors.forename: Roni
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peleg
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tandeter
authors.forename: Tzvi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dwolatzky
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D010819:Physician's Role; D010821:Physicians, Family; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation