Geriatric traumatological rounds in a primary care hospital

Abstract

Geriatric traumatological rounds (GTR) with representatives of several disciplines are achallenge in the setting of primary care hospitals with limited resources. The GTR were started with only an experienced traumatologist and ageriatrician in 2019. Routine quality control data showed areduction of the frequency of cardiac failure and mortality after the start of the GTR. Therefore, even the minimum variant of GTR with the focus on the differential diagnosis of falls and adequate drug treatment appears to be beneficial for the patient. Special attention is given to the medical treatment of cardiac failure, pulmonary diseases, osteoporosis, psychiatric disorders and anemia. Vitamin B12 and folate deficiency are substituted. When anticoagulants or platelet aggregation inhibitors are indicated, they are resumed early. Potentially inadequate drugs for older patients are avoided. Doses of many drugs used in geriatric patients must be adjusted to areduced renal function often present in old age. Frequent electrolyte abnormalities are diagnosed and adequately treated.