title: The Geriatric Trauma Institute: reducing the increasing burden of senior trauma care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Owing to parallel advances in health care and an aging population, geriatric injury has become an increasing burden to trauma systems, suggesting that specific clinical pathways may improve the care of this cohort. We created a dedicated Geriatric Trauma Institute, with multidisciplinary support, as a part of our existing trauma program, theorizing that the Geriatric Trauma Institute would promote quality care, reduce the length of stay, and reduce hospital charges.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective analysis of the prospective database of our level 1 trauma center. Patients aged 65 years or older were identified over 12 months, representing 5 months prior and also after the implementation of the new program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean length of stay was reduced for admissions to a nontrauma vs geriatric trauma service (5.64 vs 4.43 days; P = .03), generating a charge reduction of 21.4% in only the first 5 months after program implementation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our preliminary findings, which require longer-term analysis, suggest that a dedicated geriatric trauma multidisciplinary system promotes quality patient care, improves throughput, and results in significant cost savings via reduced length of stay and concomitant hospital charges.
authors.affiliation: Trauma Services, Department of Surgery, Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, Johnstown, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Connie M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: DeLa'O
authors.affiliation: Assia Medical Group, Tel Aviv 96303, Israel. Electronic address: JeffryKashuk@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jeffry
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kashuk
authors.affiliation: Trauma Services, Department of Surgery, Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, Johnstown, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Aurelio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.affiliation: Trauma Services, Department of Surgery, Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, Johnstown, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Jami
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zipf
authors.affiliation: Trauma Services, Department of Surgery, Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, Johnstown, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Russell D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Dumire
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010414:Pennsylvania; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*
keywords: Cost reduction elderly trauma; Elderly trauma; Geriatric trauma