Medical care
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Older adults who are discharged from the emergency department (ED) may be at risk for subsequent adverse outcomes; however, this has not been fully investigated in national, population-based samples. The goal of this study was to determine the frequency and predictors of adverse outcomes among older adults discharged from the ED. ⋯ A substantial proportion of older Medicare beneficiaries in this study experienced an adverse outcome after ED discharge. Further study is needed to determine whether simple prediction tools based on these identified risk factors may be useful in predicting adverse outcomes in this vulnerable population.
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Little is known about processes by which proactive primary care teams might activate their patients. We examine the role of trust in patient-physician relationships for translating practice teamwork into patient activation. ⋯ Our study shows 1 process by which practice climate translates into patient activation. Supportive interactions among practitioners and staff within primary care teams facilitate trust-building interactions between practitioners and patients. Supportive, trustworthy interactions, in turn, help to ameliorate the inherent imbalance in power between patients and physicians, contributing to patients who take a more active role in their health.