Lack of patient and primary care physician follow-up in geriatric emergency department patients with head trauma from a fall

• Published in: The American journal of emergency medicine Vol. 75; pp. 29 - 32
• Main Authors: Shih, Richard D., Solano, Joshua J., Engstrom, Gabriella, Khazem, Maya, Clayton, Lisa M., Wells, Michael, Hughes, Patrick G., Posaw, Leila, Goldstein, Lara, Hennekens, Charles H., Ouslander, Joseph G., Alter, Scott M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.01.2024; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Aged; Craniocerebral Trauma - epidemiology; Data collection; Dementia; Education; Emergency medical care; Emergency medical services; Emergency Service, Hospital; Fall prevention; Falls; Follow-up; Follow-Up Studies; Funding; Geriatric Assessment; Geriatric emergency medicine; Geriatric falls; Geriatric head trauma; Geriatrics; Head; Head injuries; Humans; Hypertension; Intervention; Observational studies; Older people; Patients; Physical therapy; Physicians, Primary Care; Prevention; Primary care; Prospective Studies; Risk assessment; Risk Factors; Trauma; Trauma centers; Writing; Florida; United States > US; Falls; Fall prevention; Geriatric head trauma; Geriatric emergency medicine; Geriatric falls; Follow-up

Falls are the leading cause of injuries in the US for older adults. Follow-up after an ED-related fall visit is essential to initiate preventive strategies in these patients who are at very high risk for recurrent falls. It is currently unclear how frequently follow-up occurs and whether preventive...