Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
The effect of geriatric evaluation and management on Medicare reimbursement in a large public hospital: a randomized clinical trial.
To study the effect of a geriatric evaluation and management program on health care charges and Medicare reimbursement. ⋯ A geriatric evaluation and management program appeared to shift utilization and Medicare expenditures from inpatient services to home health care services. There was no evidence that the experimental program resulted in increased expenditures for Medicare. In selected populations, geriatric evaluation and management programs may contribute to cost containment.
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To determine the effect of depression on preferences for life-sustaining therapy in older persons. ⋯ These results suggest that depression is associated with treatment refusal in situations with a good medical prognosis. Depression, however, is only a weak predictor of treatment refusal. Further research is needed to define which patients would accept medical treatment if effectively treated for depression.