Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
-
Comparative Study
National trends in emergency department use, care patterns, and quality of care of older adults in the United States.
To describe trends in use of emergency departments (EDs) of older adults, reasons for visits, resource use, and quality of care. ⋯ Older adults accounted for 156 million ED visits in the United States from 2001 to 2009, with steady increases in visits and resource use across the study period. Hospital admissions grew faster than outpatient visits. If changes in primary care do not affect these trends, facilities will need to plan to accommodate increasingly greater demands for ED and hospital services.
-
Comparative Study
Symptom burden in chronically ill homebound individuals.
To document the degree of symptom burden in an urban homebound population. ⋯ In chronically ill homebound adults, symptom burden is a serious problem that needs to be addressed alongside primary and specialty care needs.