Australian health review : a publication of the Australian Hospital Association
-
To assess the time taken to complete a Synthesised Geriatric Assessment (SGA) in an Emergency Department (ED) and to determine what secondary patient characteristics affect results. ⋯ Use of the SGA for intra-ED geriatric risk stratification is feasible and practical in the time-critical National Emergency Access Target (NEAT) environment. The relatively short amount of time used for screening this vulnerable demographic has implications for interdisciplinary management and potentially represents an efficient intervention to reduce future re-presentations and overcrowding in Australian EDs. Future high-quality trials are required to assess the clinical benefit of the SGA.