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Comprehensive medical assessments for monitoring and improving the health of residents in aged care facilities: Existing comprehensive medical assessments coverage and trial of a new service model
Author(s) -
Westbrook Johanna I,
Georgiou Andrew,
Black Deborah,
Hordern Antonia
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
australasian journal on ageing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.63
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1741-6612
pISSN - 1440-6381
DOI - 10.1111/j.1741-6612.2010.00456.x
Subject(s) - medicine , service (business) , health care , gerontology , intervention (counseling) , population , quality of life (healthcare) , aged care , family medicine , nursing , medical emergency , environmental health , business , marketing , economics , economic growth
Aim: To measure comprehensive medical assessment (CMA) completions among aged care residents in Australia; and to report the outcomes of a CMA service trial. Methods: A population‐based descriptive study of CMA completions using Medicare data; and a qualitative study of an intervention trial carried out at a 115‐bed residential aged care facility in Sydney, Australia. Fifty residents participated in the trial; 15 interviews were conducted. Results: In 2008, less than 50% of Australian aged care residents had a CMA completed. The CMA service trial improved CMA data quality and accessibility. A substantial proportion of residents were found to have previously unidentified health problems that impacted on their health and quality of life. Conclusions: CMA rates are low. New approaches to achieving higher CMA rates, utilising information technology, hold promise. Strategies for ongoing monitoring of care to follow‐up problems identified are required to achieve measurable improvements in residents' care and quality of life.