Category Archives: Systems and Administration
How to Do a Discharge Risk Assessment in the ED
For older patients, there are risks of being discharged home, but also risks of being admitted to the hospital. In some cases in the ED the decision to admit or discharge a patient is not cut and dry. In this … Continue reading
Retiring the Term “Mechanical Fall” for Older Patients
ED physicians and APPs see older patients in the ED for falls every. single. shift. On this episode, geriatric EM expert Shan Liu talks about preventing future falls from the ED, and the fact that we should retire the term “mechanical … Continue reading
Be ADEPT: An approach to the older patient with confusion or agitation
Older adults often present to the ED for or with confusion or agitation. It is important to have a framework for assessing these patients, diagnosing the presence of delirium or dementia, looking for underlying causes, preventing worsening, treating the underlying … Continue reading
New Geriatric ED Accreditation – and why you should care
The way we currently provide geriatric emergency care is not sustainable. With the growing aging population, the dwindling medicare dollars, and the recognition that we need to improve the quality of geriatric care, we have to find ways to transform … Continue reading
Preventing Falls in the Elderly: An EMS Story
The risk of falls increases as we age. Unfortunately, so does the risk of injury, morbidity, and mortality following a fall. Falls risk is considered a geriatric syndrome, with multi-factorial causes. Falls are a the #1 cause of trauma-related mortality … Continue reading
5 Ways to Geriatricize Your ED
Geriatric EDs, or Senior EDs, have been popping up around the country. The idea behind them is that having a separate space, a distinct staff, and specialized protocols, can help provide better care to older adults. However, for many EDs … Continue reading
Hip Fracture Management Pathways in Older Adults
Hip fractures are a common injury among older adults and have a staggering one-year mortality of 20-30%. In this episode we discuss a multi-disciplinary pathway to improve the acute care of patients with hip fractures. It can help standardize care, … Continue reading
