title: [The challenge of clinical complexity in the 21st century: Could frailty indexes be the answer?]
abstract: The number of older people with complex clinical conditions and complex care needs continues to increase in the population. This is presenting many challenges to healthcare professionals and healthcare systems. In the face of these challenges, approaches are required that are practical and feasible. The frailty paradigm may be an excellent opportunity to review and establish some of the principles of comprehensive Geriatric Assessment in specialties outside Geriatric Medicine. The assessment of frailty using Frailty Indexes provides an aid to the 'situational diagnosis' of complex clinical situations, and may help in tackling uncertainty in a person-centred approach.
authors.affiliation: Unidad Geriátrica de Agudos, Hospital Universitari de Vic/Consorci Hospitalari de Vic, Vic, Barcelona, España; Unidad Territorial de Geriatría y Cuidados Paliativos, Consorci Hospitalari de Vic/Hospital Universitari de la Santa Creu de Vic, Vic, Barcelona, España; Centro de Estudios Sociales y Sanitarios (CESS)/Cátedra de Cuidados Paliativos, Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya, Vic, Barcelona, España. Electronic address: jordiamblas@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Amblàs-Novellas
authors.affiliation: Unidad Territorial de Geriatría y Cuidados Paliativos, Consorci Hospitalari de Vic/Hospital Universitari de la Santa Creu de Vic, Vic, Barcelona, España; Centro de Estudios Sociales y Sanitarios (CESS)/Cátedra de Cuidados Paliativos, Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya, Vic, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Espaulella-Panicot
authors.affiliation: Parc Sanitari Pere Virgili, Barcelona, España; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inzitari
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Cuidados Paliativos, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rexach
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Geriatría y Cuidados Paliativos, Consorci Sanitari Integral, l'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Benito
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fontecha
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, Reino Unido; Clinical Gerontology Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Reino Unido.
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Romero-Ortuno
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000073496:Frailty / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D013597:Systems Analysis
keywords: Clinical complexity; Complejidad clínica; Decision-making; Diagnóstico situacional; Fragilidad; Frailty; Frailty index; Situational diagnosis; Toma de decisiones; Índice de fragilidad