Sager M A, Rudberg M A
Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical School, 53719, USA.
Clin Geriatr Med. 1998 Nov;14(4):669-79.
Functional change as a result of hospitalization is common, dynamic, and costly in both economic and human terms. It, however, is not an inevitable outcome of illness and aging. Older persons are substantial users of hospital care, and yet providers subject them to hospital practices that are more appropriate for younger patients. The information presented in this article suggests that our knowledge base regarding functional decline associated with hospitalization now allows us to identify high-risk patients and intervene both during and after hospitalization in order to maintain patient functioning.
住院导致的功能变化很常见、是动态的，且在经济和人力方面成本高昂。然而，这并非疾病和衰老的必然结果。老年人是医院护理的大量使用者，但医疗服务提供者却让他们接受更适合年轻患者的医院诊疗方式。本文所提供的信息表明，我们目前关于与住院相关的功能衰退的知识基础，使我们能够识别高危患者，并在住院期间及出院后进行干预，以维持患者的功能。
