Multidimensional intervention to improve the short-term prognosis of frail elderly patients discharged from a short-stay unit: A quasiexperimental study.

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of a multidimensional intervention on the prognosis at 30 days for frail elderly patients discharged from a short-stay unit.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

A quasiexperimental study was conducted with a historical control cohort. We included frail patients (Identification of Seniors at Risk score≥2) 75 years of age or older, discharged from an short-stay unit over 2 months in 2013 (control group) and in 2016 (intervention group). An intervention was conducted based on the activation of resources, based on the deficiencies detected after an abbreviated geriatric assessment, in conjunction with Primary Care. The main endpoint was the presence of an adverse result (death or readmission for any cause or severe functional impairment) at 30 days of discharge.

RESULTS

We included 137 (62.8%) patients in the intervention group and 81 (37.2%) in the control group. Eighteen (13.1%) patients in the intervention group and 29 (35.8%) in the control group presented an adverse event at 30 days. A multivariate analysis showed that the implementation of a multidimensional intervention was a protective factor for presenting an adverse event at 30 days of discharge (adjusted RR 0.40; 95% CI 0.23-0.68; P=.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The implementation of an individual care plan for frail elderly patients, based on the activation of resources according to the deficiencies detected after an abbreviated geriatric assessment and in conjunction with Primary Care, could improve the results at 30 days of discharge from an short-stay unit.