Abstract
Background
Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is the gold standard for evaluating frailty and complex needs in older adults. However, a full CGA can take up to two hours to complete- an invaluable but time-intensive process. The Community Resource Team (CRT) at St Woolos Hospital, Newport, delivers swift medical and nursing assessments to acutely unwell elderly and frail patients in their homes to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions as a part of the Gwent Frailty Unit Teams. For many patients seen by CRT, a full CGA may not be required and a shorter, streamlined assessment preserving CGA’s essential domains can save valuable clinician time, optimising efficiency and resource use.
Objective
1. To implement a locally developed shorter assessment- Mini-CGA, preserving the core CGA domains of physical health; mobility and balance; psychological wellbeing; medication review; functional status; and socioeconomic/environmental factors; for select patients unlikely to require a full CGA, with the aim of completing each assessment in under 30 minutes.
2. To establish criteria for selecting patients suitable for Mini-CGA based on the proportion of those who subsequently need a full CGA.
Methods
Designed by a multidisciplinary CRT team in Newport, the Mini-CGA will be implemented after appropriate staff training and evaluated over three months for initial 50 patients. The pilot is entering its implementation phase. We anticipate a significant reduction in clinician assessment time for these appropriately screened patients. Tracking of follow-on CGA referrals on the portal will allow us to refine patient-selection criteria and enhance efficiency of the Mini-CGA.
Conclusion
Integrating the Mini-CGA into Newport CRT practice has the potential to optimise time management, thereby translating into increased visit capacity and the ability to respond more quickly to urgent referrals. Continuous staff feedback and analysis of referral outcomes will inform iterative refinements and support potential wider adoption across community teams in Wales.