@article{ref1,
title="A physiotherapy-led review of guideline-based care for community-dwelling older people presenting to a metropolitan hospital with accidental falls",
journal="Australasian journal on ageing",
year="2023",
author="Barton, Loren and Nelson, Mark and Scholes, Corey and Strudwick, Kirsten",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="OBJECTIVE(S): Several guidelines exist to inform best-practice management of community-dwelling fallers. This study aimed to outline a pragmatic approach to developing an audit tool for guideline-based care of falls and provide an overview of current practice. <br><br>METHODS: An audit tool to determine compliance with guideline-based care was developed with an allied health and physiotherapy focus, utilising the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health-Care Guidelines for Preventing Falls and Harm from Falls in Older People (2009) and Queensland State Government 'Stay on your Feet' guidelines. A retrospective audit of medical records was completed in July 2020 of community-dwelling people aged 65 years and over with a fall-related emergency department (ED) presentation in a medium-sized metropolitan hospital in Australia. Data were compared between patients admitted to hospital and those discharged home from the ED. <br><br>RESULTS: Ninety-three patients were included: 68 were discharged home from ED and 25 were admitted to hospital. There was a significant difference in receiving an allied health review (p < .001) between admitted patients (96%) and those who discharged home from ED (68%). The Clinical Frailty Scale was only completed for 23% of patients. Physiotherapy quality-of-care (n = 46 patients) was variable, with poor completion of physical outcome measures (7%) and fall education (4%). However, assessment of mobility was routinely completed (94%), and most patients were referred to an appropriate community service (66%). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to guideline-based care of community-dwelling fallers is inconsistent. Improvements are required in the consistency of risk stratification, comprehensive physical assessment and patient education.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1440-6381",
doi="10.1111/ajag.13247",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ajag.13247"
}