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What do we know about patient targeting in geriatric evaluation and management (GEM) programs?

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Abstract

Evidence indicates that institution-based programs for interdisciplinary geriatric evaluation and management (GEMs) improve outcomes of care, but results vary considerably between studies. Targeting (i.e., selective admission of frail elderly patient subgroups who are thought particularly to benefit) has been advocated as a means to improve the cost-effectiveness of GEM programs, and results from meta-analysis give this concept some support. Our review has several objectives: 1) describing approaches to GEM targeting and development of selection criteria; 2) assessing evidence from randomized trials concerning effects of targeting on outcome; and 3) suggesting an agenda for further research and development on GEM targeting.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina, USA

    D. Wieland Ph.D. (Research Director)

  2. Multicampus Program in Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA

    L. Z. Rubenstein

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Wieland, D., Rubenstein, L.Z. What do we know about patient targeting in geriatric evaluation and management (GEM) programs?. Aging Clin Exp Res 8, 297–310 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03339586

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