Annals of emergency medicine
-
The health care needs of the elderly population are significantly different from those of younger patients and require special knowledge and skills on the part of emergency physicians. The purpose of this study was to identify the nature and extent of geriatric training currently provided to emergency medicine residents. ⋯ Although geriatric emergency care is becoming an integral part of the emergency medicine residency program, there may be a need for better focused and more intensive training.
-
Little attention is being paid to the special needs of elderly persons in emergency departments. Emergency health care professionals feel less comfortable caring for elderly than for nonelderly patients. The social and personal concerns of the elderly frequently are not addressed in ED encounters. ⋯ These problems are particularly important at this time because many hospitals and their EDs are faced with significant problems of overcrowding and inadequate resources to meet the health care needs of the communities they serve. Although the elderly are the fastest-growing segment of the population, little or no planning is ongoing to meet the emergency health care needs of the elderly in the future. The task force has provided specific recommendations for addressing these problems.
-
Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Use of emergency departments by elderly patients: projections from a multicenter data base.
To assess the use of emergency medical care by the elderly in the United States, including emergency department visits, level of ED care required, ambulance services, and hospital admission rate. ⋯ With the rapid growth of the size of the elderly population, it is important that we assess the emergency medical resources needed to care for the geriatric population.
-
Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Geriatric patient emergency visits. Part II: Perceptions of visits by geriatric and younger patients.
To compare group perceptions of reasons for emergency department care, ED use patterns, and the effect of illness on self-care ability for elderly and younger adult patients. ⋯ The elderly use the ED for reasons similar to those for younger adults. Often they feel too ill to wait for an office visit or are referred in by their primary care provider. Elderly patients more commonly have difficulty with self care after release home, and emergency physicians must plan accordingly.