Characteristics of psychogeriatric patient visits to a general hospital emergency room

Objective: This study describes psychogeriatric patients who visit the Emergency Room (ER) in a teaching hospital with a comprehensive psychogeriatric service. Method: A survey assessing demographic and clinical characteristics was completed for every psychiatric ER patient during a 2-year period. Results: One hundred and seventy-three ER patients aged over 60 (mean age 71.2) were assessed. Fifty-three percent were previously known to the psychogeriatric service. The majority of these previously known psychogeriatric patients who used the ER suffered from mood disorders. The majority of new psychogeriatric patients seen in the ER had an organic brain syndrome (OBS). Conclusions: Few OBS patients who visited the ER were previously known to the psychogeriatric service but many new OBS patients accessed the psychogeriatric service via the ER. For patients with mood disorders, particularly if suicidal, the ER was used as part of their service delivery system.