Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment in the Hospital

Abstract

Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is a multidisciplinary diagnostic and treatment process that identifies medical, psychosocial, and functional capabilities of older adults in order to develop a coordinated management plan. CGA performed in the hospital, especially in dedicated units, have been shown to be consistently beneficial for several health outcomes, including cognitive impairment, institutionalization, hospital readmission, and mortality risk. In contrast, the data are conflicting for posthospital discharge CGA programs including CGA based with transitional care bridge programs. In this chapter, we discuss the importance of CGA made in the hospital compared to that made in other settings, summarizing the most important studies made in hospital setting regarding CGA.