Table 1 Study characteristics
From: Structure and processes of emergency observation units with a geriatric focus: a scoping review
| Study | Country | Study design | Population | Sample | Agea | Care model name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anpalahan 2002 [36] | Australia | Retrospective, record review study; monocentre |
≥ 70 years General medical patients | n = 500 | NR | Rapid assessment medical unit |
| Bruun 2018 [32] | Denmark | Prospective, two-way factorial randomised clinical trial; monocentre |
≥ 65 years Non-trauma patients at risk of functional decline | Group I; n = 82 Group II; n = 84 Group III; n = 86 Group IV; n = 84 | 78 (72–85) | SSU |
| Chu 2007 [26] | UK | Prospective, observational study; monocentre | ≥ 60 years | n = 120 | 77 (60–96) | Short-stay medical unit |
| Conroy 2014 [27] | UK | Prospective, pre-post study (historical cohort); monocentre | ≥ 85 years | n = 6895 (CG) n = 9035 (IG) | NR | Emergency Frailty Unit |
| Edmans 2013 [28] | UK | Prospective, randomised controlled trial; multicentre (2 locations) |
≥ 70 years Length of stay ≤72 h ISAR score ≥ 2/6 |
n = 217 (CG) n = 216 (IG) | 83 (±7) | Acute Medical Assessment Unit |
| Foo 2012 [38] | Singapore | Prospective, pre-post study; monocentre |
≥ 65 years Community-dwelling No poor premorbid cognition or functionality |
n = 172 (CG) n = 315 (IG) |
75 (NR) in CG 76 (NR) in IG | Emergency Department Observation Unit |
| Khan 1997 [29] | UK | Retrospective, observational study; monocentre | ≥ 65 years | n = 502 | NR | Short-stay ward |
| Leung 2019 [39] | Hong Kong | Retrospective, parallel group study; monocentre |
≥ 65 years Living alone |
n = 40 (CG) n = 150 (IG) |
82.1 (±8.2) in CG 83.5 (±7.7) in IG | Frailty unit |
| Misch 2014 [40] | Switzerland | Prospective, observational delayed type cross-sectional diagnostic study; monocentre |
Non-trauma patients emergency severity index score 2 or 3 non-specific complaints | n = 669 | 81 (72–87) | Emergency Department Observation Unit |
| Nielsen 2018 [33] | Denmark | Prospective, non-randomised quasi-experimental trial; monocentre |
≥ 65 years Non-trauma Community-dwelling |
n = 231 (CG) n = 144 (IG) |
78 (±9) in CG 81 (±8) in IG | SSU |
| Ong 2012 [37] | Australia | Retrospective, case-control study; monocentre |
≥ 65 years 4 most common diagnosis-related groups |
n = 42 (CG) n = 47 (IG) |
80 (±8) in CG 84 (±8) in IG | Medical Assessment Unit |
| Silvester 2012 [30] | UK | Prospective system redesign study; monocentre | ≥ 75 years | n = 16,953 | NR | Frailty unit |
| Southerland 2018 [41] | USA | Retrospective, chart review study; monocentre | ≥ 65 years | n = 221 | 73 (±7) | Emergency Department Observation Unit |
| Strøm 2017 [34] | Denmark | Prospective, observational study; monocentre |
≥ 75 years Non-emergent triage score internal medicine disease |
n = 225 (SSU) n = 225 (IMW) |
82 (78–86) in SSU 82 (78–86) in IMW | SSU |
| Strøm 2018 [35] | Denmark | Prospective, pragmatic randomised clinical trial; monocentre |
≥ 75 years Less urgent triage score internal medicine disease |
n = 208 (SSU) n = 210 (IMW) |
81 (77–86) in SSU 82 (78–86) in IMW | SSU |
| Taylor 2016 [31] | UK | Retrospective, pre-post study; monocentre |
> 75 years Medical patients |
n = 398 (CG) n = 413 (IG) |
85 (75–101) in CG 84 (75–101) in IG | Comprehensive Older Person’s Evaluation Zone |