Mobile geriatric consultant services for rest homes. Study of the effects of consultations by internal medicine specialists in the medical care of rest home residents

• Published in: Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie 2012-12, Vol.45 (8), p.735-741
• Main Authors: Schippinger, W, Hartinger, G, Hierzer, A, Osprian, I, Bohnstingl, M, Pilgram, E H
• Format: Article
• Language: ger
• Subjects: Aged, 80 and over; Attitude of Health Personnel; Austria; Consumer Behavior; Cooperative Behavior; Female; Homes for the Aged; Humans; Interdisciplinary Communication; Internal Medicine - organization & administration; Male; Mobile Health Units - organization & administration; Nursing Homes; Patient Admission - statistics & numerical data; Patient Care Team - organization & administration; Prospective Studies; Quality Assurance, Health Care; Referral and Consultation - organization & administration
• ISSN: 1435-1269
• DOI: 10.1007/s00391-012-0395-2

Hospital admissions are frequent among long-term residents of nursing homes and can result in detrimental complications affecting the patients' somatic, psychological, and cognitive status. In this prospective controlled study, we investigated the effects of a mobile geriatric consultant service (GECO) offered by specialists in internal medicine on frequency of hospitalizations in nursing home residents. During a 10-month observation period, residents in a control nursing home received medical attendance by general practitioners as is common in Austrian nursing homes. Residents in the intervention nursing home also received the medical service of GECO. Within the group of rest home residents receiving GECO support, a statistically significant lower frequency of acute transports to hospitals was observed in comparison to residents of the control nursing home (mean number of acute transports to hospitals/100 residents/month: 6.1 versus 11.7; p