Ulrike Junius-Walker

Prerequisites for a new health care model for elderly people with multimorbidity: the PRISCUS research consortium.

Fragestellung Das gleichzeitige Auftreten oder Vorhandensein mehrerer chronischer Erkrankungen im Sinne einer Multimorbiditat stellt den betroffenen Patienten, seine Angehorigen sowie Arzte und Therapeuten vor grose Herausforderungen. Das Gesundheitssystem wird durch die steigende Zahl Betroffener und ihre komplexen Bedurfnisse, aber auch durch die Vielfalt haufig schlecht koordinierter Interventionen zunehmend belastet. Zur Verbesserung der medizinischen Versorgung bietet sich das fur chronisch Kranke entwickelte „Chronic Care Model“ an. Der Forschungsverbund PRISCUS versucht, die Voraussetzungen fur ein daran orientiertes, neues Versorgungsmodell fur multimorbide, altere Patienten zu schaffen.BackgroundMultimorbidity, the concurrent manifestation or presence of multiple chronic conditions, poses huge challenges to affected patients, their relatives, physicians, and practitioners alike. The growing number of affected persons and the complexity of their needs places just as much of a burden on the health care system as does the plethora of often poorly coordinated interventions. The Chronic Care Model developed for different chronic diseases is suited for improving medical care. The PRISCUS research consortium was established to create the prerequisites for a new care model for multimorbid, elderly patients oriented along those lines.MethodsThe research consortium utilizes data gathered in a large-scale epidemiological study on peripheral arterial disease (getABI study) and from the Dortmund and Münster stroke registries, by extracting epidemiologic and health economic data, quality-of-life parameters, and data on the extent and quality of medication. Additional projects evaluate the implementation of a multidimensional geriatric assessment in primary care, the functional consequences of multimorbidity in stroke patients along with options for prevention and therapy afforded by physical activity. Systematic reviews of the literature are used to describe quality of life and patient preferences. Experts will work on an initial draft treatment standard for patients with multimorbidity and a list of potentially inappropriate medication for the elderly in Germany.ConclusionThe results of the PRISCUS research consortium will enable an epidemiologic characterization and description of consequences of multimorbidity, while illustrating new approaches towards prevention, diagnosis, and management of multimorbid patients. With this, some prerequisites for a new health care model for patients with multimorbidity comparable to the Chronic Care Model will be fulfilled.ZusammenfassungFragestellungDas gleichzeitige Auftreten oder Vorhandensein mehrerer chronischer Erkrankungen im Sinne einer Multimorbidität stellt den betroffenen Patienten, seine Angehörigen sowie Ärzte und Therapeuten vor große Herausforderungen. Das Gesundheitssystem wird durch die steigende Zahl Betroffener und ihre komplexen Bedürfnisse, aber auch durch die Vielfalt häufig schlecht koordinierter Interventionen zunehmend belastet. Zur Verbesserung der medizinischen Versorgung bietet sich das für chronisch Kranke entwickelte „Chronic Care Model“ an. Der Forschungsverbund PRISCUS versucht, die Voraussetzungen für ein daran orientiertes, neues Versorgungsmodell für multimorbide, ältere Patienten zu schaffen.MethodikDer Verbund nutzt unter anderem Daten einer großen epidemiologischen Studie zur peripheren arteriellen Verschlusskrankheit (getABI-Studie) und Daten des Dortmunder und Münsteraner Schlaganfallregisters. Ermittelt werden epidemiologische und gesundheitsökonomische Daten, Parameter der Lebensqualität und Umfang und Qualität der medikamentösen Versorgung. In weiteren Projekten werden die Implementierung eines multidimensionalen Assessments in Hausarztpraxen, die funktionellen Auswirkungen von Multimorbidität bei Schlaganfallpatienten sowie Möglichkeiten der Prävention und Therapie mittels körperlicher Aktivität evaluiert. Über systematische Literaturübersichten werden Lebensqualität und Patientenpräferenzen dargestellt. Mit Hilfe von Experten wird ein erster Behandlungsstandard für Patienten mit Multimorbidität und eine Liste potentiell inadäquater Medikamente im Alter erarbeitet.FazitDie Ergebnisse des Forschungsverbunds werden eine epidemiologische Charakterisierung und eine Abschätzung der Krankheitsfolgen von Multimorbidität erlauben. Der Verbund wird neue Ansätze zu Prävention, Diagnostik und Therapie bei Multimorbidität aufzeigen können. Damit werden erste Voraussetzungen geschaffen, durch Anpassung der Versorgungsstruktur nach Vorbild des „Chronic Care Model“ ein verbessertes Management von Patienten mit Multimorbidität zu erreichen.

Prerequisites for a new health care model for elderly people with multimorbidity

Fragestellung Das gleichzeitige Auftreten oder Vorhandensein mehrerer chronischer Erkrankungen im Sinne einer Multimorbiditat stellt den betroffenen Patienten, seine Angehorigen sowie Arzte und Therapeuten vor grose Herausforderungen. Das Gesundheitssystem wird durch die steigende Zahl Betroffener und ihre komplexen Bedurfnisse, aber auch durch die Vielfalt haufig schlecht koordinierter Interventionen zunehmend belastet. Zur Verbesserung der medizinischen Versorgung bietet sich das fur chronisch Kranke entwickelte „Chronic Care Model“ an. Der Forschungsverbund PRISCUS versucht, die Voraussetzungen fur ein daran orientiertes, neues Versorgungsmodell fur multimorbide, altere Patienten zu schaffen.BackgroundMultimorbidity, the concurrent manifestation or presence of multiple chronic conditions, poses huge challenges to affected patients, their relatives, physicians, and practitioners alike. The growing number of affected persons and the complexity of their needs places just as much of a burden on the health care system as does the plethora of often poorly coordinated interventions. The Chronic Care Model developed for different chronic diseases is suited for improving medical care. The PRISCUS research consortium was established to create the prerequisites for a new care model for multimorbid, elderly patients oriented along those lines.MethodsThe research consortium utilizes data gathered in a large-scale epidemiological study on peripheral arterial disease (getABI study) and from the Dortmund and Münster stroke registries, by extracting epidemiologic and health economic data, quality-of-life parameters, and data on the extent and quality of medication. Additional projects evaluate the implementation of a multidimensional geriatric assessment in primary care, the functional consequences of multimorbidity in stroke patients along with options for prevention and therapy afforded by physical activity. Systematic reviews of the literature are used to describe quality of life and patient preferences. Experts will work on an initial draft treatment standard for patients with multimorbidity and a list of potentially inappropriate medication for the elderly in Germany.ConclusionThe results of the PRISCUS research consortium will enable an epidemiologic characterization and description of consequences of multimorbidity, while illustrating new approaches towards prevention, diagnosis, and management of multimorbid patients. With this, some prerequisites for a new health care model for patients with multimorbidity comparable to the Chronic Care Model will be fulfilled.ZusammenfassungFragestellungDas gleichzeitige Auftreten oder Vorhandensein mehrerer chronischer Erkrankungen im Sinne einer Multimorbidität stellt den betroffenen Patienten, seine Angehörigen sowie Ärzte und Therapeuten vor große Herausforderungen. Das Gesundheitssystem wird durch die steigende Zahl Betroffener und ihre komplexen Bedürfnisse, aber auch durch die Vielfalt häufig schlecht koordinierter Interventionen zunehmend belastet. Zur Verbesserung der medizinischen Versorgung bietet sich das für chronisch Kranke entwickelte „Chronic Care Model“ an. Der Forschungsverbund PRISCUS versucht, die Voraussetzungen für ein daran orientiertes, neues Versorgungsmodell für multimorbide, ältere Patienten zu schaffen.MethodikDer Verbund nutzt unter anderem Daten einer großen epidemiologischen Studie zur peripheren arteriellen Verschlusskrankheit (getABI-Studie) und Daten des Dortmunder und Münsteraner Schlaganfallregisters. Ermittelt werden epidemiologische und gesundheitsökonomische Daten, Parameter der Lebensqualität und Umfang und Qualität der medikamentösen Versorgung. In weiteren Projekten werden die Implementierung eines multidimensionalen Assessments in Hausarztpraxen, die funktionellen Auswirkungen von Multimorbidität bei Schlaganfallpatienten sowie Möglichkeiten der Prävention und Therapie mittels körperlicher Aktivität evaluiert. Über systematische Literaturübersichten werden Lebensqualität und Patientenpräferenzen dargestellt. Mit Hilfe von Experten wird ein erster Behandlungsstandard für Patienten mit Multimorbidität und eine Liste potentiell inadäquater Medikamente im Alter erarbeitet.FazitDie Ergebnisse des Forschungsverbunds werden eine epidemiologische Charakterisierung und eine Abschätzung der Krankheitsfolgen von Multimorbidität erlauben. Der Verbund wird neue Ansätze zu Prävention, Diagnostik und Therapie bei Multimorbidität aufzeigen können. Damit werden erste Voraussetzungen geschaffen, durch Anpassung der Versorgungsstruktur nach Vorbild des „Chronic Care Model“ ein verbessertes Management von Patienten mit Multimorbidität zu erreichen.

Health and treatment priorities in patients with multimorbidity: Report on a workshop from the European General Practice Network meeting 'Research on multimorbidity in general practice'

Abstract Setting health and treatment priorities is necessary when caring for multiple and complex patient issues. This is already done in the doctorpatient consultation—yet implicitly rather than explicitly. The aim of this European General Practice Network workshop was to advance a consultation approach that deals with shared priority setting. The workshop was divided into three parts: (1) how to gain a comprehensive health overview for patients with multiple problems as a basis for priority setting; (2) how to establish priorities considering patient and doctor perspectives; and (3) how to practice a communication style that achieves shared priority setting. The workshop participants preferred to gain information on patients’ health status using documentations from patient records rather than conducting systematic assessments. The group emphasized that medical as well as everyday life problems need to be considered when determining priorities, a procedure that requires time and resources not readily available in daily practice. Existing skills for person-centred communication with patients should be applied in order to agree on priorities. Overall it became apparent how challenging it is to arrange and prioritize an array of health problems in a consultation with patients. Existing concepts augmented by innovative systematic methods may be the way forward.

[Prerequisites for a new health care model for elderly people with multiple morbidities: results and conclusions from 3 years of research in the PRISCUS consortium].

BACKGROUND The concurrent presence or manifestation of multiple chronic conditions, i.e. multimorbidity, poses a challenge to affected patients and their relatives, physicians, and practitioners, and to the health care system in general. Aiming to improve medical care for different chronic diseases, the Chronic Care Model also appears to be suited for multimorbidity. The established research consortium PRISCUS is trying to create some of the prerequisites for a new care model for multimorbid, elderly patients oriented along the lines of the Chronic Care Model. METHODS AND RESULTS Four out of seven subprojects of the research consortium provide an overview of some of their findings. Topics in a sports medicine subproject were the assessment of physical activity by means of a newly developed questionnaire and the development and feasibility testing of an exercise program for elderly people with chronic conditions and mobility impairment. Partners from family medicine implemented geriatric assessment in a primary care setting and evaluated its consequences. In a pharmacological subproject, potentially inappropriate medication as well as drug-drug interactions and dosing errors were addressed. The health economic subproject investigated quality of life impairment due to multiple chronic diseases and the effects of multimorbidity on costs. CONCLUSIONS The results of the PRISCUS research consortium allow a better description of consequences of multimorbidity and illustrate at least some new approaches towards prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of patients suffering from multimorbidity. Ongoing projects will test the efficacy of a physical activity program and a new complex intervention to reduce potentially inappropriate medication in the elderly. With this, the research consortium will create some prerequisites for a new health care model for patients with multimorbidity comparable to the Chronic Care Model.ZusammenfassungHintergrundDas gleichzeitige Auftreten oder Vorhandensein mehrerer chronischer Erkrankungen im Sinne einer Multimorbidität stellt den Betroffenen und seine Angehörigen, Ärzte und Therapeuten, aber auch das Gesundheitssystem vor große Herausforderungen. Für eine verbesserte medizinische Versorgung bietet sich das für chronisch Kranke entwickelte Chronic Care Modell an. Der Forschungsverbund PRISCUS versucht, die Voraussetzungen für ein daran orientiertes, neues Versorgungsmodell für multimorbide, ältere Patienten zu schaffen.Methoden und ErgebnisseÜbersichtsartig werden Ergebnisse aus vier der insgesamt sieben Teilprojekte des Forschungsverbunds dargestellt. Im sportmedizinischen Teilprojekt geht es um die Erfassung körperlicher Aktivität über ein neues Fragebogeninstrument sowie die Entwicklung eines Heimübungsprogramms für chronisch kranke und in der Mobilität eingeschränkte Ältere. Das allgemeinmedizinische Teilprojekt befasst sich mit der Implementierung eines geriatrischen Assessments in der hausärztlichen Versorgung sowie dessen Auswirkungen. Im pharmakologischen Teilprojekt geht es um potenziell inadäquate Medikation für Ältere, Interaktionen und Nebenwirkungen. Das gesundheitsökonomische Teilprojekt eruiert Auswirkungen von Multimorbidität bei Älteren auf Lebensqualität und gesundheitsassoziierte Kosten.SchlussfolgerungDie Ergebnisse des Forschungsverbunds erlauben eine Abschätzung der Krankheitsfolgen von Multimorbidität und zeigen einige neue Ansätze zu Prävention, Diagnostik und Therapie bei Multimorbidität auf. Folgeprojekte werden sich mit der Wirksamkeit eines hausärztlich vermittelten, multidimensionalen Bewegungsprogramms sowie mit einem Interventionsprogramm zur Reduktion potenziell inadäquater Medikation bei Älteren befassen. Damit werden erste Voraussetzungen geschaffen, durch Anpassung der Versorgung nach Vorbild des Chronic Care Modell ein verbessertes Management von Patienten mit Multimorbidität zu erreichen.AbstractBackgroundThe concurrent presence or manifestation of multiple chronic conditions, i.e. multimorbidity, poses a challenge to affected patients and their relatives, physicians, and practitioners, and to the health care system in general. Aiming to improve medical care for different chronic diseases, the Chronic Care Model also appears to be suited for multimorbidity. The established research consortium PRISCUS is trying to create some of the prerequisites for a new care model for multimorbid, elderly patients oriented along the lines of the Chronic Care Model.Methods and resultsFour out of seven subprojects of the research consortium provide an overview of some of their findings. Topics in a sports medicine subproject were the assessment of physical activity by means of a newly developed questionnaire and the development and feasibility testing of an exercise program for elderly people with chronic conditions and mobility impairment. Partners from family medicine implemented geriatric assessment in a primary care setting and evaluated its consequences. In a pharmacological subproject, potentially inappropriate medication as well as drug–drug interactions and dosing errors were addressed. The health economic subproject investigated quality of life impairment due to multiple chronic diseases and the effects of multimorbidity on costs.ConclusionsThe results of the PRISCUS research consortium allow a better description of consequences of multimorbidity and illustrate at least some new approaches towards prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of patients suffering from multimorbidity. Ongoing projects will test the efficacy of a physical activity program and a new complex intervention to reduce potentially inappropriate medication in the elderly. With this, the research consortium will create some prerequisites for a new health care model for patients with multimorbidity comparable to the Chronic Care Model.

Complex health care decisions with older patients in general practice: Patient-centeredness and prioritization in consultations following a geriatric assessment

OBJECTIVE To examine to what extent general practitioners in consultations after a geriatric assessment set shared health priorities with older patients experiencing multimorbidity and to what extent this was facilitated through patient-centered behavior. METHODS Observation of consultations embedded in a cluster randomized controlled trial,(1) in which 317 patients from 41 general practices received the STEP assessment followed by a care planning consultation with their GPs. GPs in the intervention group used a structured procedure for setting health (care) priorities in contrast to control GPs. A sample of 43 consultations (24 intervention; 19 control) were recorded, transcribed and analyzed with regard to priority setting and patient-centeredness. RESULTS Patient-centeredness was only moderately apparent in consultations dealing with complex care plans for older patients with multimorbidity. The shared determination of health priorities seemed unusual for both doctors and patients and was rarely practiced, albeit more frequently in intervention consultations. CONCLUSION Setting health care priorities with patients experiencing multimorbidity is ethically desirable and medically appropriate. Yet a short structured guide for doctors cannot easily achieve this. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS More research is needed in regard to handling complex health needs of older patients. It requires a professional approach and training in patient-centered holistic care planning.

Voraussetzungen für ein neues Versorgungsmodell für ältere Menschen mit Multimorbidität

BACKGROUND The concurrent presence or manifestation of multiple chronic conditions, i.e. multimorbidity, poses a challenge to affected patients and their relatives, physicians, and practitioners, and to the health care system in general. Aiming to improve medical care for different chronic diseases, the Chronic Care Model also appears to be suited for multimorbidity. The established research consortium PRISCUS is trying to create some of the prerequisites for a new care model for multimorbid, elderly patients oriented along the lines of the Chronic Care Model. METHODS AND RESULTS Four out of seven subprojects of the research consortium provide an overview of some of their findings. Topics in a sports medicine subproject were the assessment of physical activity by means of a newly developed questionnaire and the development and feasibility testing of an exercise program for elderly people with chronic conditions and mobility impairment. Partners from family medicine implemented geriatric assessment in a primary care setting and evaluated its consequences. In a pharmacological subproject, potentially inappropriate medication as well as drug-drug interactions and dosing errors were addressed. The health economic subproject investigated quality of life impairment due to multiple chronic diseases and the effects of multimorbidity on costs. CONCLUSIONS The results of the PRISCUS research consortium allow a better description of consequences of multimorbidity and illustrate at least some new approaches towards prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of patients suffering from multimorbidity. Ongoing projects will test the efficacy of a physical activity program and a new complex intervention to reduce potentially inappropriate medication in the elderly. With this, the research consortium will create some prerequisites for a new health care model for patients with multimorbidity comparable to the Chronic Care Model.ZusammenfassungHintergrundDas gleichzeitige Auftreten oder Vorhandensein mehrerer chronischer Erkrankungen im Sinne einer Multimorbidität stellt den Betroffenen und seine Angehörigen, Ärzte und Therapeuten, aber auch das Gesundheitssystem vor große Herausforderungen. Für eine verbesserte medizinische Versorgung bietet sich das für chronisch Kranke entwickelte Chronic Care Modell an. Der Forschungsverbund PRISCUS versucht, die Voraussetzungen für ein daran orientiertes, neues Versorgungsmodell für multimorbide, ältere Patienten zu schaffen.Methoden und ErgebnisseÜbersichtsartig werden Ergebnisse aus vier der insgesamt sieben Teilprojekte des Forschungsverbunds dargestellt. Im sportmedizinischen Teilprojekt geht es um die Erfassung körperlicher Aktivität über ein neues Fragebogeninstrument sowie die Entwicklung eines Heimübungsprogramms für chronisch kranke und in der Mobilität eingeschränkte Ältere. Das allgemeinmedizinische Teilprojekt befasst sich mit der Implementierung eines geriatrischen Assessments in der hausärztlichen Versorgung sowie dessen Auswirkungen. Im pharmakologischen Teilprojekt geht es um potenziell inadäquate Medikation für Ältere, Interaktionen und Nebenwirkungen. Das gesundheitsökonomische Teilprojekt eruiert Auswirkungen von Multimorbidität bei Älteren auf Lebensqualität und gesundheitsassoziierte Kosten.SchlussfolgerungDie Ergebnisse des Forschungsverbunds erlauben eine Abschätzung der Krankheitsfolgen von Multimorbidität und zeigen einige neue Ansätze zu Prävention, Diagnostik und Therapie bei Multimorbidität auf. Folgeprojekte werden sich mit der Wirksamkeit eines hausärztlich vermittelten, multidimensionalen Bewegungsprogramms sowie mit einem Interventionsprogramm zur Reduktion potenziell inadäquater Medikation bei Älteren befassen. Damit werden erste Voraussetzungen geschaffen, durch Anpassung der Versorgung nach Vorbild des Chronic Care Modell ein verbessertes Management von Patienten mit Multimorbidität zu erreichen.AbstractBackgroundThe concurrent presence or manifestation of multiple chronic conditions, i.e. multimorbidity, poses a challenge to affected patients and their relatives, physicians, and practitioners, and to the health care system in general. Aiming to improve medical care for different chronic diseases, the Chronic Care Model also appears to be suited for multimorbidity. The established research consortium PRISCUS is trying to create some of the prerequisites for a new care model for multimorbid, elderly patients oriented along the lines of the Chronic Care Model.Methods and resultsFour out of seven subprojects of the research consortium provide an overview of some of their findings. Topics in a sports medicine subproject were the assessment of physical activity by means of a newly developed questionnaire and the development and feasibility testing of an exercise program for elderly people with chronic conditions and mobility impairment. Partners from family medicine implemented geriatric assessment in a primary care setting and evaluated its consequences. In a pharmacological subproject, potentially inappropriate medication as well as drug–drug interactions and dosing errors were addressed. The health economic subproject investigated quality of life impairment due to multiple chronic diseases and the effects of multimorbidity on costs.ConclusionsThe results of the PRISCUS research consortium allow a better description of consequences of multimorbidity and illustrate at least some new approaches towards prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of patients suffering from multimorbidity. Ongoing projects will test the efficacy of a physical activity program and a new complex intervention to reduce potentially inappropriate medication in the elderly. With this, the research consortium will create some prerequisites for a new health care model for patients with multimorbidity comparable to the Chronic Care Model.

Decision-Making of Older Patients in Context of the Doctor-Patient Relationship: A Typology Ranging from “Self-Determined” to “Doctor-Trusting” Patients

Background. This qualitative study aims to gain insight into the perceptions and experiences of older patients with regard to sharing health care decisions with their general practitioners. Patients and Methods. Thirty-four general practice patients (≥70 years) were asked about their preferences and experiences concerning shared decision making with their doctors using qualitative semistructured interviews. All interviews were analysed according to principles of content analysis. The resulting categories were then arranged into a classification grid to develop a typology of preferences for participating in decision-making processes. Results. Older patients generally preferred to make decisions concerning everyday life rather than medical decisions, which they preferred to leave to their doctors. We characterised eight different patient types based on four interdependent positions (self-determination, adherence, information seeking, and trust). Experiences of a good doctor-patient relationship were associated with trust, reliance on the doctor for information and decision making, and adherence. Conclusion. Owing to the varied patient decision-making types, it is not easy for doctors to anticipate the desired level of patient involvement. However, the decision matter and the self-determination of patients provide good starting points in preparing the ground for shared decision making. A good relationship with the doctor facilitates satisfying decision-making experiences.

What is important, what needs treating? How GPs perceive older patients’ multiple health problems: a mixed method research study

BackgroundGPs increasingly deal with multiple health problems of their older patients. They have to apply a hierarchical management approach that considers priorities to balance competing needs for treatment. Yet, the practice of setting individual priorities in older patients is largely unexplored. This paper analyses the GPs’ perceptions on important and unimportant health problems and how these affect their treatment.MethodsGPs appraised the importance of health problems for a purposive sample of their older patients in semi-structured interviews. Prior to the interviews, the GPs had received a list of their patients’ health problems resulting from a geriatric assessment and were asked to rate the importance of each identified problem. In the interviews the GPs subsequently explained why they considered certain health problems important or not and how this affected treatment. Data was analysed using qualitative content analysis and quantitative methods.ResultsThe problems GPs perceive as important are those that are medical and require active treatment or monitoring, or that induce empathy or awareness but cannot be assisted further. Unimportant problems are those that are well managed problems and need no further attention as well as age-related conditions or functional disabilities that provoke fatalism, or those considered outside the GPs’ responsibility. Statements of professional actions are closely linked to explanations of important problems and relate to physical problems rather than functional and social patient issues.ConclusionsGPs tend to prioritise treatable clinical conditions. Treatment approaches are, however, vague or missing for complex chronic illnesses and disabilities. Here, patient empowerment strategies are of value and need to be developed and implemented. The professional concepts of ageing and disability should not impede but rather foster treatment and care. To this end, GPs need to be able to delegate care to a functioning primary care team.Trial RegistrationGerman Trial Register (DRKS): 00000792

Das geriatrische Basisassessment in der Hausarztpraxis

BACKGROUND Aim of this study was to evaluate the acceptance and use of a basic geriatric assessment (BGA), as it is covered by the German pay system, in primary care practices. METHODS We conducted qualitative interviews and collected quantitative data by an online questionnaire. RESULTS A total of 17 (10 men) general practitioners (GPs) agreed to be interviewed; 161 patients (134 men) completed the online questionnaire. GPs mainly performed BGA to substantiate the suspicion of cognitive impairment. Most of the German general practices accomplished not more than 5-10 BGA per quarter. Although those GPs who conducted BGA were convinced of its usefulness with regard to further patient care, concrete interventions were rarely named. The tests used within the BGA were not always in line with recommendations from the specific guidelines. The main reasons not to conduct BGA were the amount of time required and the lack of therapeutic consequences. CONCLUSION Hitherto BGA is not an established tool in German primary care practices. The question, which single instruments are most suitable for older general practice patients, still needs clarification.

“It’s MAGIC” - development of a manageable geriatric assessment for general practice use

BackgroundGeriatric assessments are established tools in institutional care since they enable standardized detection of relevant age-related disorders. Geriatric assessments could also be helpful in general practice. However, they are infrequently used in this setting, mainly due to their lengthy administration. The aim of the study was the development of a “manageable geriatric assessment – MAGIC”, specially tailored to the requirements of daily primary care.MethodsMAGIC was developed based on the comprehensive Standardized Assessment for Elderly People in Primary Care (STEP), using four different methodological approaches: We relied on A) the results of the PRISCUS study by assessing the prevalence of health problems uncovered by STEP, the importance of the respective problems rated by patients and general practitioners, as well as the treatment procedures initiated subsequently to the assessment. Moreover, we included findings of B) a literature analysis C) a review of the STEP assessment by experienced general practitioners and D) focus groups with general practitioners.ResultsThe newly created MAGIC assessment consists of 9 items and covers typical geriatric health problems and syndromes: function, falls, incontinence, cognitive impairment, impaired ears and eyes, vaccine coverage, emotional instability and isolation.ConclusionsMAGIC promises to be a helpful screening instrument in primary care consultations involving elderly multimorbid patients. Applicable within a minimum of time it still covers health problems highly relevant with regard to a potential loss of autonomy. Feasibility will be tested in the context of a large, still ongoing randomized controlled trial on “reduction of potentially inadequate medication in elderly patients” (RIME study; DRKS-ID: DRKS00003610) in general practice.