Abstract Introduction Socioeconomic progression and improved healthcare systems worldwide has resulted in increasing life expectancy worldwide. With increasing age, co-morbidity is also more prevalent. Rockwood’s Clinical Frailty Score (CFS) 20052, updated in 2020, recognises that frailty is a clinically significant construct that enables physicians to identify issues and predict clinical outcomes. Identifying frailty pre-operatively with early access to specialist gerontology care improves peri-operative care and outcomes for older adults living with frailty undergoing emergency surgery. This is similar to the positive outcomes from Orthogerontology care models internationally. Methods We are currently undertaking a prospective study in a Model 4 tertiary hospital. We aim to identify those with a pre-admission Clinical Frailty Score of 5 who require an intervention under the care of the Emergency General Surgery service. Our primary outcome is a comparison of pre- and post-intervention CFS. Secondary outcomes include intervention required, post-operative course, length of stay, outcome of admission, as well discharge destination. Outcome At present, we have identified 49 patients, with a mean age of 76. CFS was documented in 77% (N = 38), with a mean CFS on admission of 4.2. Our data collection is currently underway and outcomes are pending. Completion of data collection will be on 28/02/2025. Conclusion The case-mix of people undergoing emergency surgery is changing and is increasingly older adults with pre-existing frailty, multimorbidity and disability. This cohort have unique and specific gerontology healthcare needs in addition to the management of their emergency surgery condition. Current healthcare systems are not designed to care for older adults with complex and multiple needs. This is associated with bad outcomes and harm. An age-friendly model of care with co-management from gerontology and emergency surgery is necessary in order to meet the needs and improve the outcomes for older adults undergoing emergency surgery.
Fitzgerald et al. (Wed,) studied this question.