Date of Last Revision
2023-05-02 15:35:32
Major
Natural Sciences - BS / MD Program
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Date of Expected Graduation
Summer 2015
Abstract
With a growing elderly population in the United States, the development of
efficient methods to ensure high-quality care for geriatric patients is more important than
ever. In the emergency department (ED), geriatric patients account for up to 24% of
stays. Many of these patients come to the ED for neuropsychiatric reasons and some are
admitted to geropsychiatric units. These patients require medical screening to identify
issues that may in part account for their mental state. The purpose of this study was to
characterize the patients who were admitted from the Summa Health System ED to
geropsychiatric units. It was hypothesized that more than 50% of geriatric patients
admitted to the psychiatric unit from the ED would have a prior medical history of
psychiatric disease and that less than 10% of these patients would have a new medical
condition identified in the psychiatric unit. Charts for study subjects were retrospectively
abstracted and analyzed to characterize the subjects. The first hypothesis was supported
with 56% of subjects having a previous history of psychiatric disease. The second
hypothesis was not supported as 82% of subjects had a new medical issue found in the
geropsychiatric unit.
Research Sponsor
Dr. Jennifer Frey
First Reader
Dr. Scott Wilber
Second Reader
Dr. Mark Fridline
Recommended Citation
Giorgio, Daniel, "Geropsychiatric Medical Problems" (2015). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 228.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/228