Description of a geriatric medical/psychiatry unit in a small community general hospital.

This article describes a geriatric medical/psychiatry inpatient unit (GMPU) in a small community general hospital. A program description and data from the second year of the unit's operation are presented. The GMPU provides comprehensive geriatric assessment and interdisciplinary treatment for frail, medically ill elderly patients with neuropsychiatric disorders. Many of the patients have dementia or other neurobehavioral disorders, and most reside in nursing homes. The GMPU provides a valuable clinical link in the continuum of care for the elderly. Moreover, it has proven to be an economically viable financial asset for the hospital.