Health assessment of elderly patients.

Background: Comprehensive health assessment of the elderly in primary care will become a more important element of general practice as population aging proceeds and evidence of efficacy emerges.

Objective: This article describes approaches to provision of health assessment in primary care based on the best available evidence.

Discussion: Current best practice includes the use of structured health assessment protocols, an integrated multidisciplinary approach, targeting patient groups with intermediate levels of disability and handicap, in-home assessments and carefully structured follow up mechanisms.