The adherence of Turkish emergency departments to geriatric guideline recommendations

• Published in: European geriatric medicine 2024-10, Vol.15 (5), p.1267-1275
• Main Authors: Çelik, Şimşek, Çelik, Pelin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; Emergency Service, Hospital; Female; Geriatrics - standards; Geriatrics/Gerontology; Guideline Adherence - statistics & numerical data; Hospitals, University; Humans; Internal Medicine; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Prospective Studies; Research Paper; Surveys and Questionnaires; Turkey
• ISSN: 1878-7649; 1878-7657; 1878-7657
• DOI: 10.1007/s41999-024-01022-w

Key summary points Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the geriatric emergency department policies specified in the geriatric emergency department (GED) guideline in the emergency departments serving in our country, how much of the recommendations on procedures and workflow are implemented and to identify the challenges that may be encountered during the development of GEDs and to provide recommendations for their development and implementation. Findings It has been determined that the compliance of emergency departments in Turkey with the criteria specified in the geriatric emergency department guidelines is inadequate. Message For older patients, who make up an important part of emergency department admissions, making emergency departments suitable in terms of geriatrics-friendly protocols, equipment and physical environment is of great importance for both our country and all countries of the world in meeting the complex care needs of the older people. Objectives This study aims to determine the availability of geriatrics-friendly protocols, pieces of equipment, and physical environments alongside potential opportunities of improvement in the emergency departments of our country. Methods This prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted between the 1 st and 29 th of February, in the year 2024, within the AI, AII, B group- and university hospitals in Turkey. A questionnaire form consisting of three subdivisions in which general pieces of information, information regarding appropriate personnel/management for geriatrics-friendly emergency departments, equipment/materials, and the presence of physical environments was presented online to the participants and the responses that were provided online were evaluated. Results The study was conducted with a total of 175 participants from hospital emergency departments. The number of hospitals with monthly older patient application amounts of 500 and above was 133 (76.0%). It was observed that personnel/management knowledge was, relative to guideline suggestions, at low levels. When the appropriateness of personnel/management knowledge and total equipment/materials were compared to hospital roles, it was determined that university hospitals adhered closest to the guideline and that inter-group differences were significant ( p