Recognition of deficits of physical and cognitive function in the elderly by medical staff in the emergency department

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Abstract
Aims: To evaluate the recognition of deficits of physical and cognitive function in the elderly by emergency department medical staff.Methods: Retrospective survey of the records of 486 patients aged 75 years and over discharged from the emergency department.Results: Assessments of cognitive and physical function were noted in 88 (18.8%) and 115 (24.6%) records respectively. Less experienced doctors recorded assessments less frequently for cognitive and physical function than senior doctors (16.3% vs 32.6%; Chi2 = 10.0; p = 0.0015 and 21.9% vs 38.2% Chi2 = 12.0; p = 0.0005 respectively). Senior doctors recorded more assessments on cognitively or physically impaired patients than non‐impaired patients. Less experienced doctors did not.Conclusion: More experienced doctors exhibited unwritten clinical judgement in recording assessments for impaired patients more frequently than non‐impaired patients. There is a need for better teaching of geriatric emergency medicine to improve the assessment of cognitive and physical function of elderly patients in the emergency department by junior doctors.