An immediate consultation between trauma surgeons and a geriatrician improves multidisciplinary care of elderly accident victims and the sensitivity of the family to the patient’s ongoing health care needs. The process also demonstrates the role of the hospital’s trauma surgery service as a foundation for creating comprehensive clinical pathways for acute and follow-up care of vulnerable elderly patients, according to a study published online in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons in advance of print publication. Researchers compared processes of care and clinical outcomes before and after a trauma surgery program that began in September 2013 and automatically referred patients age 70 years and older for geriatric consultation. The approach used in this study triggered a consultation with a geriatrician whenever an elderly patient was sent for trauma surgery.
For the article from the EurekAlert, click here.
