Applegate W B, Blass J P, Williams T F
Department of Medicine, University of Tennessee, Memphis.
N Engl J Med. 1990 Apr 26;322(17):1207-14. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199004263221707.
Structured assessment instruments are particularly useful in screening for problems that often go undetected in older patients. In addition, such instruments can provide information about conditions and abilities or limitations that are not regularly assessed in standard clinical practice. Often, their administration is delegated to other health professionals, but these tools still provide useful information to the physician. Clinicians should view assessment instruments as they would any other clinical test. They should be familiar with the strengths, weaknesses, and precision of any test used and understand how best to use the test as an adjunct to clinical practice. In addition, clinicians must learn to focus on functional status, in terms of both assessment and outcome, in their care of older patients.
结构化评估工具在筛查老年患者中常常未被发现的问题时特别有用。此外,此类工具可以提供有关在标准临床实践中未定期评估的状况、能力或局限性的信息。通常,这些工具的管理工作会委托给其他卫生专业人员,但这些工具仍能为医生提供有用信息。临床医生应像看待任何其他临床检查一样看待评估工具。他们应熟悉所使用的任何检查的优点、缺点和精确度,并了解如何最好地将该检查用作临床实践的辅助手段。此外,临床医生在照顾老年患者时,必须学会在评估和结果方面关注功能状态。