CHARACTERISTICS OF PSYCHOGERIATRIC PATIENT VISITS TO A GENERAL-HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM

Objective: This study describes psychogeriatric patients who visit the Emergency Room (ER) in a teaching hospital with a comprehensive psych ogeriatric service. Method: A survey assessing demographic and clinica l characteristics was completed for every psychiatric ER patient durin g a 2-year period. Results: One hundred and seventy-three ER patients aged over 60 (mean age 71.2) were assessed. Fifty-three percent were p reviously known to the psychogeriatric service. The majority of these previously known psychogeriatric patients who used the ER suffered fro m mood disorders. The majority of new psychogeriatric patients seen in the ER had an organic brain syndrome (OBS). Conclusions: Few OBS pati ents who visited the ER were previously known to the psychogeriatric s ervice but many new OBS patients accessed the psychogeriatric service via the ER. For patients with mood disorders, particularly if suicidal , the ER was used as part of their service delivery system.