Acute Medical Admissions of ELDERly Patients (ELDER)

To evaluate differences in health outcomes among elderly patients (age ≥ 75 years) treated in a Quick Diagnostic Unit (QDU) compared to the Department of Internal Medicine (DIM). A QDU is a medical Short Stay Unit (SSU).

The Danish emergency care system is undergoing major changes; Emergency Departments (ED) are now centralised at fewer hospitals, thus the ED now serve as the single point of entry for all acute patients. Another initiative, has been the establishment of a Quick Diagnostic Unit (QDU) as a subunit in the ED. The QDU is a ward for fast track diagnostics and treatment of stable medical patients that is believed to optimise in-hospital care by quicker diagnosis and shorter hospitalisations, and minimise time for patients to return to their habitual health status. However, little evidence exists on the putative benefits for elderly patients treated in a QDU setting. In this study, we will examine the benefits and drawbacks of treatment of elderly medical patients (≥75 years) in an acute treatment system with the possibility of fast-track admission and treatment, rather than treatment in the traditional medical system. We will randomise patients to treatment in either a fast track ward/short stay unit, the QDU, or to standard treatment at the Dept. of Internal Medicine (DIM). We hypothesise that treatment in a QDU compared to DIM offers optimised care through immediate access to clinical staff and rapid diagnostic facilities, treatment and quicker rehabilitation.