Premium
Efficacy of Routine Annual Studies in the Care of Elderly Patients
Author(s) -
WolfKlein Gisele P.,
Holt Timmothy,
Silverstone Felix A.,
Foley Conn J.,
Spatz Murry
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1985.tb07131.x
Subject(s) - medicine , medical diagnosis , ambulatory , incidence (geometry) , population , pediatrics , health care , ambulatory care , medical record , emergency medicine , surgery , pathology , environmental health , economics , economic growth , physics , optics
The authors reviewed the results of annual laboratory screening (SMA 20, T3, T4, UA, EKG, chest x‐ray) performed on a population of 500 institutionalized and ambulatory patients retrospectively followed from 1 to 19 years. With 30 laboratory values recorded for each annual exam, there were an average of 1.56 new abnormal laboratory findings per year per patient. A sample of 100 patients was further reviewed to determine the incidence of new diagnoses and treatment initiated by the appearance of new abnormal laboratory findings; 756 new abnormalities were recorded out of a possible 15,000, and 66 medical work‐ups were initiated, which lead to new diagnoses in 21 cases and a treatment plan in 12 cases. The authors suggest that, in view of the rapid increase in the number of elderly persons and the consequent need to conserve limited health care resources, “standard” laboratory screening may not be warranted on a yearly basis in the elderly population.