Development and implementation of a proactive geriatrics consultation model in collaboration with hospitalists

Geriatric screening in the emergency department increases consultations to geriatric medicine and physical and occupational therapy: A pre/post cohort study

BACKGROUND

The Geriatric Emergency Department (ED) Guidelines recommend screening older patients for need for evaluation by geriatric medicine, physical therapy (PT), and occupational therapy (OT), but explicit evidence that geriatric screening changes care compared to physician gestalt is lacking. We assessed changes in multidisciplinary consultation after implementation of standardized geriatric screening in the ED.

METHODS

Retrospective single-site observational cohort of older adult ED patients from 2019 to 2023 with three time periods: (1) preimplementation, (2) implementation of geriatric screening, and (3) postimplementation. Geriatric, PT, and OT consultations/referrals were available during all time periods. Descriptive analysis was stratified by disposition: discharged, observation and discharged, observation and hospital admission, and hospital admission. The independent variable was completion of three geriatric screening tools by ED nurses. The dependent variable was consultation and/or referral to geriatrics, PT, and OT. Secondary outcomes were disposition, ED revisits, and 30-day rehospitalizations.

RESULTS

There were 57,775 qualifying ED visits of patients age ≥ 65 years during the time periods: implementation increased geriatric screening from 0.5% to 63.2%; postimplementation, discharge patients who received screening had more consultations/referrals to geriatrics (1.5% vs. 0.4%), PT (7.9% vs. 1.9%), and OT (6.5% vs. 1.2%) compared to unscreened patients. Patients observed and then discharged had more consultations/referrals to geriatrics (15.1% vs. 11.3%), PT (74.1% vs. 64.5%), and OT (65.7% vs. 56.5%). Admitted patients had no change in consultation rates. Geriatric screening was not associated with a change in 7-day ED revisits for discharged patients but was associated with decreased revisits for patients discharged from observation (11.6% vs. 42.9%, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Geriatric screening was associated with increased consultations/referrals to geriatrics, PT, and OT in the ED and ED observation unit. This suggests that geriatric screening changes ED care for older adults.

Use of a nursing-led geriatrics consult service to deliver age-friendly care

The Elder Veteran Program (EVP) is a nursing-led approach to deliver inpatient consultative geriatrics care at our academic Midwestern Veterans Hospital. From April to December of 2021, EVP modified its workflow using a Plan-Do-Study-Act approach to include previously under-addressed components of the IHI's "4M's" of Age-Friendly Care (Medication, Mobility, Mentation, and What Matters), with three months of retrospective data review as a Plan phase, three months of monthly Do and Study phases, and a three month Act phase to analyze post-intervention care. We found improvements in frequency of documentation of Medication, Mentation, and What Matters in EVP notes, and maintenance of Mobility documentation. Next steps include translating these documentation and workflow changes into other relevant outcome measures and outreach to other departments. Overall, our project demonstrates a novel way to integrate these Pillars into a hospital system, by leveraging an existing nursing-led geriatric consult service focused on prevention and education.

An Acute Care for Elders Quality Improvement Program for Complex, High-Cost Patients Yields Savings for the System

BACKGROUND

Acute Care for Elders (ACE) programs improve outcomes for older adults; however, little is known about whether impact varies with comorbidity severity.

OBJECTIVE

To describe differences in hospital-level outcomes between ACE and routine care across various levels of comorbidity burden.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional quality improvement study.

SETTING

A 716-bed teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Medical inpatients aged ≥70 years hospitalized between September 2014 and August 2017.

INTERVENTION

ACE care, including interprofessional rounds, geriatric syndromes screening, and care protocols, in an environment prepared for elders MEASUREMENTS: Total cost, length of stay (LOS), and 30-day readmissions. We calculated median differences for cost and LOS between ACE and usual care and explored variations across the distribution of outcomes at the 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles. Results were also stratified across quartiles of the combined comorbidity score.

RESULTS

A total of 1,429 ACE and 10,159 non-ACE patients were included in this study. The mean age was 81 years, 57% were female, and 81% were white. ACE patients had lower costs associated with care ranging from $171 at the 25th percentile to $3,687 at the 90th percentile, as well as lower LOS ranging from 0 days at the 25th percentile to 1.9 days at the 90th percentile. After stratifying by comorbidity score, the greatest differences in outcomes were among those with higher scores. There was no difference in 30-day readmission between the groups.

CONCLUSION

The greatest reductions in cost and LOS were in patients with greater comorbidity scores. Risk stratification may help hospitals prioritize admissions to ACE units to maximize the impact of the more intensive intervention.

A systematic review of proactive psychiatric consultation on hospital length of stay

OBJECTIVE

Roughly half of general hospital patients may have a psychiatric issue that impacts care, yet most of these are not recognized during hospital admission. Proactive mental health screening offers an opportunity for timely identification and clinical attention to improve outcomes.

METHOD

We conducted a PRISMA systematic review of Pubmed, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library for proactive models of psychiatric consultation to reduce hospital length of stay (LOS) in adult inpatients. For each study, we evaluated the level of evidence and defined the study sample, means of group allocation, screening process, interventions, and outcomes.

RESULTS

Of the 12 included studies, the 8 whose screening was informed by clinicians with mental health care expertise or whose providers were integrated with primary services reported a reduction in LOS. Two of these also reported favorable cost-benefit analyses. All positive studies represent versions of either psychiatrists embedded within medical or surgical settings or a multidisciplinary team-based model.

CONCLUSIONS

Proactive CL psychiatry with clinically-informed screening and integrated care delivery appear to reduce LOS. Further studies are needed to explore a broader range of outcomes, hospital populations beyond hospital medicine, and additional benefits of proactive integrated mental health care in the general hospital.

Integration of Geriatrician Consultation for Trauma Admissions May Benefit Patient Outcomes

Objective: Geriatric admissions to trauma centers have increased, and in 2013, our center integrated geriatrician consultation with the management of admitted patients. Our goal is to describe our experience with increasing geriatric fall volume to help inform organized geriatric trauma programs. Method: We retrospectively analyzed admitted trauma patients ≥65 years old, suffering falls from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2017. We examined descriptive statistics and changes in outcomes after integration. Results: A total of 1,335 geriatric trauma patients were admitted, of which 1,054 (79%) had suffered falls. Falls increased disproportionately (+280%) compared with other mechanisms of injury (+97%). After 2013, patient discharge disposition to skilled nursing facility decreased significantly (–67%, p < .001), with a concomitant increase in safe discharges home with outpatient services. Regression analysis revealed association between integration of geriatrician consultation and outcomes. Discussion: Geriatrician consultation is associated with optimized discharge disposition of trauma patients. We recommend geriatrician consultation for all geriatric trauma activations.

Lessons and Outcomes of Mobile Acute Care for Elders Consultation in a Veterans Affairs Medical Center

OBJECTIVE

Describe the implementation and effects of Mobile Acute Care for Elders (MACE) consultation at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC).

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort analysis.

INTERVENTION

Veterans aged 65 or older who were admitted to the medicine service between October 1, 2012, and September 30, 2014, were screened for geriatric syndromes via review of medical records within 48 hours of admission. If the screen was positive, the MACE team offered the admitting team a same-day consultation involving comprehensive geriatric assessment and ongoing collaboration with the admitting team and supportive services to implement patient-centric recommendations for geriatric syndromes.

RESULTS

Veterans seen by MACE (n = 421) were compared with those with positive screens but without consultation (n = 372). The two groups did not significantly differ in age, comorbidity, sex, or race. All outcomes (30-day readmission, 30-day mortality, readmission costs) were in the expected direction for patients receiving MACE but did not reach statistical significance. Patients receiving MACE had lower odds of 30-day readmission (11.9% vs 14.8%; odds ratio [OR] = 0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.54-1.25; p = .360) and 30-day mortality (5.5% vs 8.6%; OR = 0.64; CI = 0.36-1.12; p = .115), and they had lower 30-day readmission costs (MACE $15,502; CI = $12,242-$19,631; comparison = $18,335; CI = $14,641-$22,962; p = .316) than those who did not receive MACE after adjusting for age and Charlson Comorbidity Index.

CONCLUSION

Our MACE consultation model for older veterans with geriatric syndromes leverages the limited supply of clinicians with expertise in geriatrics. Although not statistically significant in this study of 793 subjects, MACE patients had lower odds of 30-day readmission and mortality, and lower readmission costs. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:818-824, 2019.

Higher Quality, Lower Cost with an Innovative Geriatrics Consultation Service

OBJECTIVES

To design a value-driven, interprofessional inpatient geriatric consultation program coordinated with systems-level changes and studied outcomes and costs.

DESIGN

Propensity-matched case-control study of older adults hospitalized at an academic medical center (AMC) who did or did not receive geriatric consultation.

SETTING

Single tertiary-care AMC in Portland, Oregon.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults aged 70 and older who received an inpatient geriatric consultation (n=464) and propensity-matched controls admitted before development of the consultation program (n=2,381). Pre- and postintervention controls were also incorporated into cost difference-in-difference analyses.

MEASUREMENTS

Daily charges, total charges, length of stay (LOS), 30-day readmission, intensive care unit (ICU) days, Foley catheter days, total medication doses per day, high-risk medication doses per day, advance directive and Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) documentation, restraint orders, discharge to home, and mortality.

RESULTS

On average, individuals who received a geriatric consultation had $611 lower charges per day than those without a consultation (p=.02). They spent on average 0.36 fewer days in the ICU (p<.001). They were less likely to have restraint orders (20.0% vs 27.9%, p<0.001), more likely to have a POLST (58.2% vs 44.6%, p<.001), and more likely to be discharged to home (33.4% vs 28.2%, p=.03). They received fewer doses of antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, and antiemetics (10, 5, and 7 fewer doses per 100 patient-days, respectively) and had lower in-hospital mortality (2.4% vs 4%, p=.01). There was no difference in hospital LOS or 30-day readmission.

CONCLUSION

Our consultation program resulted in significant reductions in daily charges, ICU days, potentially inappropriate medication use, and use of physical restraints and increased end-of-life planning. This model has potential for dissemination to other institutions operating in resource-scarce, value-driven settings.

The role of geriatrician-hospitalists in the care of older adults: A retrospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Medicare patients account for over 50% of hospital days at a cost of over $1 trillion per year. Yet, hospitalization of older adults often results in poor outcomes. We evaluated the role of geriatrician-hospitalists in the care of older adults. Materials and methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a 764-bed tertiary care hospital with patients 65 and older admitted to medicine. Geriatrician-hospitalists care was compared to usual care by non-geriatrician hospitalists (staff and non-staff). Outcome measures included length of stay (LOS) and 30-day readmissions. Process measures included geriatric-focused care practices, such as early mobilization, safety precautions, delirium management, use of potentially inappropriate medications and documentation of advanced directives as well as discharge disposition.

RESULTS

Of the 10,529 patients, 2949 (28.0%) were cared for by staff hospitalists, 7181 (68.2%) by non-staff hospitalists and 399 (3.79%) by geriatrician-hospitalists. Patients cared for by geriatrician-hospitalists were significantly older with more comorbidities than those admitted to staff and non-staff hospitalists (average age: 86.3, 79.7, and 80.3, respectively, p < 0.0001; Charlson Comorbidity Index: 7.46, 7.01, and 7.17, respectively, p = 0.0005). Multivariate analysis showed no difference in LOS, 30-day readmissions, and discharge disposition. In terms of care practices, significant differences were found for the following: time to PT (p < 0.0001), duration of indwelling bladder catheters (p = 0.018), documentation of Do-Not-Resuscitate (p < 0.0001), benzodiazepine use (p < 0.0001) and anticholinergics (p = 0.0029), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

As the population continues to age at unprecedented rates and hospitals struggle to meet the demands and expectations, geriatrician-hospitalists may improve care practices important for older adult care management.

Quality indicators for in-hospital geriatric co-management programmes: a systematic literature review and international Delphi study

OBJECTIVE

To find consensus on appropriate and feasible structure, process and outcome indicators for the evaluation of in-hospital geriatric co-management programmes.

DESIGN

An international two-round Delphi study based on a systematic literature review (searching databases, reference lists, prospective citations and trial registers).

SETTING

Western Europe and the USA.

PARTICIPANTS

Thirty-three people with at least 2 years of clinical experience in geriatric co-management were recruited. Twenty-eight experts (16 from the USA and 12 from Europe) participated in both Delphi rounds (85% response rate).

MEASURES

Participants rated the indicators on a nine-point scale for their (1) appropriateness and (2) feasibility to use the indicator for the evaluation of geriatric co-management programmes. Indicators were considered appropriate and feasible based on a median score of seven or higher. Consensus was based on the level of agreement using the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method.

RESULTS

In the first round containing 37 indicators, there was consensus on 14 indicators. In the second round containing 44 indicators, there was consensus on 31 indicators (structure=8, process=7, outcome=16). Experts indicated that co-management should start within 24 hours of hospital admission using defined criteria for selecting appropriate patients. Programmes should focus on the prevention and management of geriatric syndromes and complications. Key areas for comprehensive geriatric assessment included cognition/delirium, functionality/mobility, falls, pain, medication and pressure ulcers. Key outcomes for evaluating the programme included length of stay, time to surgery and the incidence of complications.

CONCLUSION

The indicators can be used to assess the performance of geriatric co-management programmes and identify areas for improvement. Furthermore, the indicators can be used to monitor the implementation and effect of these programmes.

Daytime Physical Activity and Sleep in Hospitalized Older Adults: Association with Demographic Characteristics and Disease Severity

OBJECTIVES

To assess objectively measured daytime physical activity and sleep duration and efficiency in hospitalized older adults and explore associations with demographic characteristics and disease severity.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

University of Chicago Medical Center general medicine wards.

PARTICIPANTS

Community-dwelling inpatients aged 50 and older (N = 120) MEASUREMENTS: Physical activity and sleep were measured using wrist accelerometers. Information on Charlson Comorbidity Index and length of stay was collected from charts. Random-effects linear regression analysis was used to examine the association between in-hospital sleep and physical activity.

RESULTS

From March 2010 to May 2013, 120 participants wore wrist actigraphy monitors for at least 2 nights and 1 intervening day. Median activity level over the waking period was 77 counts/min (interquartile range 51-121 counts/min), an activity level that approximately corresponds to sitting while watching television (65 counts/min). Mean sleep duration the night before the activity interval was 289 ± 157 minutes, and mean sleep efficiency the night before the activity interval was 65.2 ± 26.9%. Mean activity counts/min were lowest for the oldest participants (oldest quartile 62, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 50-75; youngest quartile 121, 95% CI = 98-145, trend test P < .001) and those with highest Charlson Comorbidity Index (highest tertile 71, 95% CI = 60-83; lowest tertile 125, 95% CI = 104-147, trend test P = .01). Controlling for severity of illness and demographic characteristics, activity declined by 3 counts/min (95% CI = -5.65 to -0.43, P = .02) for each additional hour of inpatient sleep.

CONCLUSION

Older, sicker adults are less physically active during hospitalization. In contrast to studies in the community, inpatients who slept more were not more active. This may highlight that need for sleep is greater in the hospital than in the community.

Impact of an inpatient geriatric consultative service on outcomes for cognitively impaired patients

BACKGROUND

Impact of geriatric consultative services (GCS) on hospital readmission and mortality outcomes for cognitively impaired (CI) patients is not known.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate impact of GCS on hospital readmission and mortality among CI inpatients.

DESIGN

Secondary data analysis of a prospective trial of a computerized decision support system between July 1, 2006 and May 30, 2008.

SETTING

Study conducted at Eskenazi hospital, Indianapolis, Indiana, a 340-bed, public hospital with over 2300 yearly admissions of patients ages 65 years or older.

PATIENTS

There were 415 inpatients aged 65 years and older with CI enrolled from July 2006 to March 2008.

MEASUREMENTS

Thirty-day and 1-year mortality and hospital readmission following the index admission. Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine the association between receiving GCS, readmission, or mortality while adjusting for demographics, discharge destination, delirium, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and prior hospitalizations. The propensity score method was used to adjust for the nonrandom assignment of GCS.

RESULTS

Patients receiving GCS were older (79 years old, 8.1 standard deviation [SD] vs 76 years old, 7.8 SD; P < 0.001) with higher incidence of delirium (49% vs 29%; P < 0.001). No significant differences were found between the groups for hospital readmission (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.19; 95% confidence interval = 0.89-1.59) and mortality at 12 months of index admission (HR = 0.91; 95% confidence interval = 0.59-1.40). However, a significant increase in readmissions was observed for the GCS group (HR = 1.75; 95% confidence interval = 1.06-2.88) at 30 days postdischarge.

CONCLUSION

One-year postdischarge outcomes of CI patients who received GCS were not different from patients who did not receive the service. New models of care are needed to improve postdischarge readmission and mortality among hospitalized patients with CI.

Short-term outcomes of seniors aged 80 years and older with acute illness: hospitalist care by geriatricians and other internists compared

BACKGROUND

Although acute geriatric units have improved the outcomes of hospitalized seniors, it is uncertain as to whether hospitalist care by geriatricians outside of these units confers similar benefit.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether hospitalist care by geriatricians reduces short-term mortality and readmission, and length of stay (LOS) for seniors aged 80 years and older with acute medical illnesses compared with care by other internists.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study using administrative and chart review data on demographic, admission-related, and clinical information of hospital episodes.

SETTING

General internal medicine department of an acute-care hospital in Singapore from 2005 to 2008.

PATIENTS

Seniors aged 80 years and older with specific focus on 2 subgroups with premorbid functional impairment and acute geriatric syndromes.

INTERVENTION

Hospitalist care by geriatricians compared with care by other internists.

MEASURES

Hospital mortality, 30-day mortality or readmission, and LOS.

RESULTS

For 1944 hospital episodes (intervention: 968, control: 976), there was a nonsignificant trend toward lower hospital mortality (15.5% vs 16.9%) but not 30-day mortality or readmission, or LOS for care by geriatricians compared with care by other internists. A marginally stronger trend toward lower hospital mortality for care by geriatricians among those with acute geriatric syndromes (20.2% vs 23.1%) was observed. Similar treatment effects were found after adjustment for demographic, admission-related, and clinical factors.

CONCLUSIONS

For seniors aged 80 years and over with acute medical illness, hospitalist care by geriatricians did not significantly reduce short-term mortality, readmission, or LOS, compared with care by other internists.

Quality in transitional care of the elderly: Key challenges and relevant improvement measures

Introduction

Elderly people aged over 75 years with multifaceted care needs are often in need of hospital treatment. Transfer across care levels for this patient group increases the risk of adverse events. The aim of this paper is to establish knowledge of quality in transitional care of the elderly in two Norwegian hospital regions by identifying issues affecting the quality of transitional care and based on these issues suggest improvement measures.

Methodology

Included in the study were elderly patients (75+) receiving health care in the municipality admitted to hospital emergency department or discharged to community health care with hip fracture or with a general medical diagnosis. Participant observations of admission and discharge transitions (n = 41) were carried out by two researchers.

Results

Six main challenges with belonging descriptions have been identified: (1) next of kin (bridging providers, advocacy, support, information brokering), (2) patient characteristics (level of satisfaction, level of insecurity, complex clinical conditions), (3) health care personnel's competence (professional, system, awareness of others’ roles), (4) information exchange (oral, written, electronic), (5) context (stability, variability, change incentives, number of patient handovers) and (6) patient assessment (complex clinical picture, patient description, clinical assessment).

Conclusion

Related to the six main challenges, several measures have been suggested to improve quality in transitional care, e.g. information to and involvement of patients and next of kin, staff training, standardisation of routines and inter-organisational staff meetings.

A clinical index to stratify hospitalized older adults according to risk for new-onset disability

BACKGROUND

Many older adults who are independent prior to hospitalization develop a new disability by hospital discharge. Early risk stratification for new-onset disability may improve care. Thus, this study's objective was to develop and validate a clinical index to determine, at admission, risk for new-onset disability among older, hospitalized adults at discharge.

DESIGN

Data analyses derived from two prospective studies.

SETTING

Two teaching hospitals in Ohio.

PARTICIPANTS

Eight hundred eighty-five patients aged 70 years and older were discharged from a general medical service at a tertiary care hospital (mean age 78, 59% female) and 753 patients discharged from a separate community teaching hospital (mean age 79, 63% female). All participants reported being independent in five activities of daily living (ADLs: bathing, dressing, transferring, toileting, and eating) 2 weeks before admission.

MEASUREMENTS

New-onset disability, defined as a new need for personal assistance in one or more ADLs at discharge in participants who were independent 2 weeks before hospital admission.

RESULTS

Seven independent risk factors known on admission were identified and weighted using logistic regression: age (80-89, 1 point; ≥90, 2 points); dependence in three or more instrumental ADLs at baseline (2 points); impaired mobility at baseline (unable to run, 1 point; unable to climb stairs, 2 points); dependence in ADLs at admission (2-3 ADLs, 1 point; 4-5 ADLs, 3 points); acute stroke or metastatic cancer (2 points); severe cognitive impairment (1 point); and albumin less than 3.0 g/dL (2 points). New-onset disability occurred in 6%, 13%, 18%, 34%, 35%, 45%, 50%, and 87% of participants with 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 or more points, respectively, in the derivation cohort (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC)=0.784), and in 8%, 10%, 27%, 38%, 44%, 45%, 58%, and 83%, respectively, in the validation cohort (AUC=0.784). The risk score also predicted (P<.001) disability severity, nursing home placement, and long-term survival.

CONCLUSION

This clinical index determines risk for new-onset disability in hospitalized older adults and may inform clinical care.