Reducing in-hospital complications in older patients undergoing plastic surgery through a collaborative model of care.

Background: There is increasing evidence to support collaborative care and proactive comprehensive geriatric assessment and management in a number of surgical specialties. Data are lacking in older people under the care of plastic surgeons. This before/after study evaluates the impact of the introduction of a shared care model between geriatric medicine and plastic surgery in an Australian metropolitan teaching hospital.

Geriatrician perspectives on perioperative care: a qualitative study.

Background: Perioperative medicine services for older surgical patients are being developed across several countries. This qualitative study aims to explore geriatricians' perspectives on challenges and opportunities for developing and delivering integrated geriatrics perioperative medicine services.

Methods: A qualitative phenomenological semi-structured interview design.

Geriatric medicine services for older surgical patients in acute hospitals: Results from a binational survey.

Objective: To describe perioperative geriatric medicine services in Australia and New Zealand, and to explore geriatricians' views on the need for and challenges in providing perioperative care.

Method: An electronic questionnaire was sent to heads of geriatric medicine departments.

Results: Sixty-seven (83%) of 81 identified geriatric medicine departments responded.

Orthogeriatric services associated with lower 30-day mortality for older patients who undergo surgery for hip fracture.

Objective: To examine the impact of orthogeriatric services on 30-day mortality and length of stay (LOS) for hip fracture patients undergoing surgery in public hospitals in New South Wales.

Design, Setting And Patients: A retrospective analysis of patients aged 65 years and older who had a fractured hip and received surgical intervention between 1 July 2009 and 30 June 2011 at one of the 37 NSW public hospitals operating on hip fracture patients.

Main Outcome Measures: 30-day mortality and LOS.

Fall-related sub-acute and non-acute care and hospitalised rehabilitation episodes of care: what is the injury burden?

Background: Falls are the leading cause of injury in older people. Rehabilitation services can assist individuals to improve mobility and function after sustaining a fall-related injury. However, the true effect of fall-related injury resulting in hospitalisation is often underestimated because of failure to consider sub-acute and non-acute care provided following the acute hospitalisation episode.