Individuals with frailty who are discharged from hospital experience increased mortality and resource use, even after short ‘ambulatory’ admissions, according to a study published in the British Journal of General Practice. ‘Frailty crises’ are a common cause of hospital admission among older people and there is significant focus on admission avoidance. However, identifying frailty before a crisis occurs is challenging. The study sought to determine long-term outcomes of older people discharged from hospital following short (<72 hours) and longer hospital admissions compared by frailty status. Data for 2-year mortality and hospital use were compared using frailty measures derived from clinical and hospital data. The study found mortality after 2 years was increased for frail compared with non-frail individuals in both cohorts. Patients in the ambulatory cohort classified as frail had increased mortality and hospital use compared with those patients classified as non-frail.
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- Outcomes of hospital admissions among frail older people: a 2-year cohort study. British Journal of General Practice. Vol. 69, Issue 685. August 2019
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