The association between an ultrabrief cognitive screening in older adults and hospital outcomes.

Background: Though often recommended, hospital cognitive assessment is infrequently completed due to clinical and time constraints.

Objective: This analysis aimed to evaluate the relationship between performance on ultrabrief cognitive screening instruments and hospital outcomes.

Design: This is a secondary data analysis of a quality improvement project.

Impaired Arousal in Older Adults Is Associated With Prolonged Hospital Stay and Discharge to Skilled Nursing Facility.

Background: Poor cognitive function is associated with negative consequences across settings of care, but research instruments are arduous for routine clinical implementation. This study examined the association between impaired arousal, as measured using an ultra-brief screen, and risk of 2 adverse clinical outcomes: hospital length of stay and discharge to a skilled nursing facility (SNF).

Design, Setting, And Participants: A secondary data analysis was conducted using 2 separate groups of medical ward patients: a Veterans Affairs medical center in the northeast (N = 1487, between 2010 and 2012) 60 years and older and a large tertiary care, university-based medical center (N = 669, between 2007 and 2013) 65 years and older in the southeastern United States.