What older people want from emergency care: a systematic review

• Published in: Emergency medicine journal : EMJ Vol. 36; no. 12; pp. 754 - 761
• Main Authors: van Oppen, James David, Keillor, Lisa, Mitchell, Áine, Coats, Timothy John, Conroy, Simon Paul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group LTD 01.12.2019
• Subjects: Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Caregivers; Clinical decision making; Content analysis; Decision making; Emergency medical care; Emergency Service, Hospital; Emergency Treatment - psychology; Empowerment; Evidence-based medicine; Frail Elderly - psychology; Frailty; Holistic medicine; Humans; Older people; Patient Preference; Patient Satisfaction; Patient-centered care; Preferences; Quality of care; Systematic review; aged; frailty; geriatrics; emergency department; quality
• ISSN: 1472-0205; 1472-0213
• DOI: 10.1136/emermed-2019-208589

ObjectivesTo evaluate the expectations and preferred outcomes from emergency care among older people or their caregivers.MethodsA review protocol was registered. Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsychInfo, BNI, AgeInfo and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched in their full date ranges to September 2018. Included articles were hand-searched for further citations. Citations were screened for (1) older people aged over 65 years, (2) ED settings and (3) reporting expectations or preferred outcomes for emergency care (as opposed to experience or satisfaction). Quality appraisal and data extraction of eligible articles were undertaken by two reviewers. Themes were synthesised through content analysis and described narratively.ResultsOlder people wished to have prompt waiting times, efficient care, clear communication and comfortable environments. They had additional and unique expectations for holistic care and support in decision-making. The ED provoked a sense of vulnerability among older people who were likely to have had frailty.ConclusionThe lack of dominant themes among included studies suggests that older people should be treated as individuals rather than a homogenous group. Establishing individuals’ preferred outcomes could improve person-centred care.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42018107050.