Risk screening by the emergency medical services identifies older patients at risk of emergency department readmission: a retrospective observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Malnutrition, falls, and cognitive impairment are common in older patients visiting the emergency department (ED). Early recognition of these conditions could trigger interventions to improve outcomes following ED visits.

Aim

To analyze whether a simple risk screening protocol in the emergency medical services (EMS) identifies older patients at risk of ED readmission.

Methods

The EMS screened the falls risk, nutritional risk, and cognition of 472 patients (age ≥ 70 years) transported to the ED of a Finnish secondary care hospital between November 2018 and July 2019. Data on the risk screening, comorbidities, and ED readmissions were collected from electronic patient records. Data were analyzed using negative binomial regression, and the results are presente

SUBMITTER: Saario E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11870983 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature