Regardless the reason of the ER visit, multi-morbidities and disabilities are common in older patients. These two characteristics largely explain the age-related adverse ER outcomes, which are longer ER lengths of stay, higher hospital admission rates and longer hospital stays, when compared to younger people who seek medical attention in ERs. As hospitals are largely configured for single acute disease care, rather than multiple comorbidities and related disabilities, the treatment of age-related adverse ER outcomes is one of the main challenges faced by them. Screening individuals who possess the highest risk for age-related adverse ER outcomes and introducing simple, appropriate geriatric interventions to them as soon as possible, are the two consecutive and complementary steps of an effective (i.e., ability to define the right objective) and efficient (i.e., ability to achieve thusly defined objective) ER care plan for older ER users.

• To examine whether the “Emergency Room Evaluation and Recommendations” (ER²) tool, which is composed of both assessment and intervention components, may diminish agerelated adverse ER outcomes in older users

The ER² intervention decreases LOS by 2 days after an admission to the hospital through the ED.

Faculty of Medicine, McGill University

Emergency Department, Jewish General Hospital