Hospital services for acute care of elderly people

Although the implementation of geriatric services is an emerging priority i n Brazil, little emphasis has been pur on the type of acute care that shoul d be provided for elderly patients in the hospital setting. The objective w as to review some models of acute hospital care people, for elderly on the role of geriatric medicine and its relationship, with other specialities. M edline database (1989-1999). textbooks of geriatrics and gerontology and ot her health publications were consulted in an attempt to identify all releva nt publications about hospital services providing acute care to elderly peo ple. The features of each model were compiled and discussed taking into acc ount their suitability to the Brazilian health system. Some examples of int erventions, with their effectiveness demonstrated by systematic reviews, we re also mentioned. The models more frequently described were: long-time tra ditional. age-defined, unspecialized and integrated care. Variants of such models were frequently reported. There is no evidence pointing to one as th e best model. but models favoring the integration of geriatrics with genera l medicine seemed to be particularly suitable to the Brazilian setting. Wit h the aging of the population. there is rr need to restructure the health s ervices to face the increasing demands of elderly people. Given that the de sign of hospital scn ices is an important factor for the effectiveness of g eriatric care. this issue should be studied as priority in Brazil.