PATIENT THROUGHPUT IN AN ACUTE GERIATRIC UNIT

This report presents findings from a 3-year investigation of patient t urnover, morbidity and mortality in the department of geriatric medici ne based at Cork University and St. Finbarr's Hospitals, Cork, A total of 3977 patients were admitted during the study period. The majority were 70 years or over (89%), referred by a general practitioner(83%) a nd female (56%), Seventy-one percent of admissions were discharged hom e, a further 18% died within the unit while 11% were transferred to co ntinuing care. The median duration of stay was ten days. Age, diagnosi s and source of referral significantly influenced both patient outcome and duration of stay, Forty-seven percent of discharged patients were followed-up at either the day hospital or outpatient clinic, A morbid ity profile was constructed for a representative sample of 318 patient s, 52% of this sample had two or more significant diagnoses, Neurologi cal disorders carried a particularly poor prognosis, The median durati on of stay for patients transferred to an on-site long stay facility w as approximately one year.