Timely assessment of acutely ill frail elderly patients in older adult assessment unit (OAAU) - Dr Gautam Ray. Consultant Physician in Acute Medicine. Royal Alexandra Hospital Paisley
Timely assessment of acutely ill frail elderly patients in older adult assessment unit (OAAU) - Dr Gautam Ray. Consultant Physician in Acute Medicine. Royal Alexandra Hospital Paisley
Frailty is a distinctive health state related to the ageing process in which multiple body systems gradually lose their in-built reserves. Around 10% of people aged over 65 years have frailty, rising to between a quarter and a half of those aged over 85 years. The presence of one or more frailty syndrome should trigger a more detailed comprehensive geriatric assessment to start within 2 hours (14 hours overnight) either in the community, person’s own home or as an in-patient, according to the person’s needs.1 In our hospital majority of all frail elderly acutely ill patients were being assessed by a Consultant Geriatrician after 24 hours of admission.in the Acute Medical Unit. A geriatrician led new purpose built OAAU with six assessment and six short stay beds aimed to flip their acute care.
Aim : 90% of Frail Elderly Acutely ill patients by 31st May 2015 will have a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment within 4 hours of arrival in OAAU.
