- At #AGS22, @AmerGeriatrics and #geriatrics experts casts a wide net for social & scientific innovations shaping better care for us all as we age. http://ow.ly/H6OV50IZluC
New York (May 4, 2022)– Researchers presenting at this year’s American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Annual Scientific Meeting (#AGS22) held May 12-14 in Orlando, Florida represent excellence in geriatrics scholarship, with this year’s selection drawn from a pool of more than 900 submissions. Highlights from this year’s prestigious AGS22 Plenary Paper Session (Thurs., May 12 9:30-10:15am) include:
EQUiPPED Study: Enhancing the Quality of Prescribing Practices for Older Adults Discharged from the Emergency Department (presented by Dr Elizabeth Goldberg)
In the United States, four in ten adults aged 65 and older take more than five medications and two in ten take over ten medications, underscoring the importance of prescribing guidance in the emergency room setting. Dr. Goldberg and colleagues examined the effectiveness of the Enhancing the Quality of Prescribing Practices for Older Adults Discharged from the Emergency Department (EQUiPPED) medication safety program, aimed to reduce potentially inappropriate medication (PIM), in three emergency departments (EDs) within the largest health system in Rhode Island (RI). Assessing the prescribing patterns of 362 clinicians in the ED both before and after implementation of the EQUiPPED intervention program, the study’s results found that the PIM prescribing rate decreased significantly from 8.93% to 6.59%. During pre-implementation, 1,495 of the 15,818 prescribed medications were considered inappropriate, while only 1,044 of the 15,818 prescribed medications in post-implementation were considered inappropriate. The greatest reduction was observed among antihistamines, skeletal muscle relaxants and benzodiazepines. The authors conclude that the EQUiPPED program was effective at reducing PIM prescribing and should be implemented widely in other states. Nationally, they added, it would shape national policy regarding quality of care for older adults.
Comparative Effectiveness of a Nurse Driven Early Mobility Protocol in Preventing Undesirable Outcomes during Hospitalization (presented by Dr Lynnae Edwards-Carolina)
According to a 2009 estimate, the average hospital patient spends over 95% of their time in bed. Dr Edwards-Carolina and researchers at Emory University compared the effectiveness of a nurse driven early mobility program, Get Up and GoTM (GuG) with usual care, to determine if it had an impact on undesirable outcomes during hospitalization. All patients over the age of 65 admitted to an Acute Care for the Elderly (ACE) Unit were evaluated by nursing staff on admission and daily during their hospital stay to determine their mobility level based on their GuG score and each mobility level correlated with an expected activity plan that was carried out by the nurses and support staff for the duration of their hospital stay. Patients over the age of 65 admitted to a General Medical Unit (GMU) were similarly evaluated and assigned GuG scores but were not mobilized per protocol. The study determined that of the 1,479 patients hospitalized, there was no significant impact over a control group in length of hospital stay, discharge disposition, or incidence of delirium. However, there was a significant improvement in delirium scores and reduction in degree of functional decline.
Development and Internal Validation of a Mortality Prediction Model in Community-dwelling Older Adults with Dementia (presented by Dr W. James Deardorff)
Estimating mortality risk in older adults with dementia is important for guiding clinical decisions and future planning, but previous mortality prediction models are limited. Dr Deardorff and colleagues at the University of California, San Francisco developed and internally validated a prognostic model for mortality in community-dwelling older adults with dementia. Evaluating community-dwelling older adults age 65 or older who were enrolled in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) from 1998-2016 with a diagnosis of dementia, candidate predictors included demographic factors, behavioral/health factors, functional measures (e.g., activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL)), and chronic conditions. Researchers used a Cox proportional hazards model with backward selection and multiple imputation to develop the model and model performance was assessed by discrimination (integrated area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (iAUC)) and calibration (creation of calibration plots). Internal validation was performed via bootstrapping to quantify the optimism of the prediction model. The risk predictions resulting from the author’s model could help guide discussions for clinicians and patients in disease management and advance care planning.
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About the American Geriatrics Society
Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a nationwide, not-for-profit society of geriatrics healthcare professionals that has—for more than 75 years—worked to improve the health, independence, and quality of life of older people. Its nearly 6,000 members include geriatricians, geriatric nurses, social workers, family practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and internists. The Society provides leadership to healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public by implementing and advocating for programs in patient care, research, professional and public education, and public policy. For more information, visit AmericanGeriatrics.org.
About the Health in Aging Foundation
The Health in Aging Foundation is a national non-profit established in 1999 by the American Geriatrics Society to bring the knowledge and expertise of geriatrics healthcare professionals to the public. We are committed to ensuring that people are empowered to advocate for high-quality care by providing them with trustworthy information and reliable resources. Last year, we reached nearly 1 million people with our resources through HealthinAging.org. We also help nurture current and future geriatrics leaders by supporting opportunities to attend educational events and increase exposure to principles of excellence on caring for older adults. For more information or to support the Foundation's work, visit HealthinAging.org.
About the AGS Annual Scientific Meeting
The AGS Annual Scientific Meeting is the premier educational event in geriatrics, providing the latest information on clinical care, research on aging, and innovative models of care delivery. More than 2,000 nurses, pharmacists, physicians, physician assistants, social workers, long-term care and managed care providers, healthcare administrators, and others will convene in Orlando May 12-14, 2022 (pre-conference program on May 11) to advance geriatrics knowledge and skills through state-of-the-art educational sessions and research presentations. For more information, visit Meeting.AmericanGeriatrics.org.