The Ger-ED Intervention study focuses on early assessment and intervention in the emergency department (ED) by a specialized geriatric team, which includes a geriatrician, a nurse with expertise in geriatrics and continuity of care from hospital to community and when necessary a social worker. The intervention model is based on Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) and aims to improve the management and care pathways for elderly patients. Through tailored responses, the team is expected to identify the appropriate setting for each patient and coordinate with community services to facilitate a safe return home when hospitalization is avoidable, and the risks outweigh the benefits. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of this dedicated ED multidisciplinary geriatric team intervention on the quality of care for elderly patients presenting at the ED, compared to usual care. The study is a multicentric interventional randomized controlled trial involving cluster randomization, where calendar weeks are randomized rather than individual patients. Study Design: During the weeks designated as 'treatment', the multidisciplinary team will be present in the ED. They will recruit all eligible patients who meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria and provide consent to participate in the study, until the required weekly number is reached. During the weeks designated as 'control', patients who meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria and provide consent will receive the usual care.
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Change the ED hospitalization rate in the intervention arm compared with the control arm
Timeframe: Discharge from ED at baseline access