A randomized trial of geriatric liaison intervention in elderly medical inpatients

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of psychogeriatric intervention in a group of elderly medical inpatients over 75 years of age. In addition to usual care, intervention consisted of multidisciplinary joint treatment by a psychogeriatric team. The main purpose of intervention was to obtain the optimal level of physical functioning.

Method: In a prospective randomized trial the effect of the intervention (N = 140) compared with usual care (N = 97) was estimated for physical functioning, length of stay, and nursing home placement within 12 months of discharge.

Results: Substantially more patients assigned to the intervention group improved in their physical functioning, and fewer became worse. The mean length of stay was 5 days shorter for the intervention group. There were more readmissions to hospital in the usual care group (29.9%) compared with the intervention group (17.4%). Of the patients assigned to the intervention treatment, 18% were admitted to a nursing home. In the usual care group this was 27%. The effects of intervention remained statistically significant for all the outcome variables after controlling for possible confounding baseline characteristics.

Conclusions: The intervention we studied had clinically relevant effects on important outcome variables. Psychiatric co-morbidity was an important risk factor for the outcome of the patients in our study. By combining elements from a psychiatric and geriatric consultation service with elements from a unit-driven service, we were able to improve health care for the elderly in our hospital in a feasible and cost-effective way.