Strategy for the prevention of adverse events in the hospitalized elderly patients.
Mª. Antonia Muñoz Mella, Estíbaliz Ezpeleta Sáenz de Urturi, Ignacio Enríquez de Salamanca, Mª. Teresa Rey Barbosa, Valle Quintela Porro, Alejandra Román Vila.

SUMMARY

There are multiple and cumulative causes of functional decline among hospitalized elderly patients Hospitalization itself may frequently cause a state of irreversible functional decline, leading to complications not related to the initial reasons for the hospital admission. Moreover, this lower functional status may carry risks of adverse events, potentially reducing quality of life. Our general goal was to design a specific program to prevent adverse events relating to hospitalized frail elderly patients. We determined in trinsic and extrinsic risk factors within our security strategies, including actions to minimize or even mitigate adverse events according to a pre-established risk priority. Evaluations were performed over 3 consecutive days during 3 different months. Subjects of this prospective study were 133 hospitalized patients 80 years old or older, representing 20% of the patients in our center during the time of research. The outcome of our study is a valuation of the adverse events affecting hospitalized elderly patients, allowing the development of a plan for risk prevention, which includes specific care measures for these patients.

KEY WORDS

   Patient elderly, frail elderly, risk factors, adverse event, security, quality of health care.

Vol. 20 nº3-2009