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Geriatric Liaison: An Approach to Medical Management on a Psychogeriatric Unit in a General Hospital

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Barbara A. Clive
Affiliation:
Geriatrics and Internal Medicine, Credit Valley Hospital
Kenneth I. Shulman
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Medical Hospital
Maria L. Zorzitto
Affiliation:
Department of Geriatric Medicine, Sunnybrook Medical Centre

Abstract

This is a descriptive retrospective study of geriatric medical consultation to a psychogeriatric unit in a general teaching hospital over a two-year period. Ninety-eight discharges were studied to assess patient demographics, medications and discharge status. 39.8 per cent of patients on the unit were seen in consultation by geriatric medicine. Males were more likely to require consultation. Length of stay was longer for those seen in consultation. Primary affective disorder was the most common psychiatric diagnosis in the patients studied. Management of pre-existing neurologic and cardiac disease were the predominant reasons for consultation. The supportive environment of this medical liaison model on a psychogeriatric unit provides an excellent teaching environment for both geriatric medical and psychiatric trainees.

Résumé

Cette étude descriptive et rétrospective s'est déroulée dans une unité psychogériatrique d'un hôpital universitaire sur une période de deux ans. Les caractéristiques démographiques, la médication et les motifs de la fin du séjour de 98 patients ont été observés. Les gériatres de l'unité ont vu 39.8 pour cent des patients. Les hommes ont un besoin plus élevé que les femmes de soins d'un gériatre. La durée de séjour est plus élevé pour ceux qui ont une consultation gériatrique. Les diagnostics les plus fréquents sont de l'ordre des troubles affectifs. La consultation est justifiée par des affections neurologiques et cardiaques. L'encadrement offert par l'unité gériatrique est excellent pour la formation gériatrique et psychiatrique.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1991

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