A recent study by the Rand Corporation found that the overall care of the vulnerable elderly - those with chronic conditions that are not living in a nursing home or other skilled nursing facility - is inadequate.
How the Study was Designed
The study started by establishing baselines, with the assistance of expert panels, including the American College of Physicians Task Force on Aging, for care for 22 conditions that account for the majority of health care for older adults. 256 quality indicators, covering prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up, were then established, and were then used to evaluate the quality of care for elderly populations selected for survey.
The study found that the groups studied received about half the recommended level of care recommended by the experts.
The Impact of Better Quality of Care
Not surprisingly, in the elderly populations that were studied, it was found that those who received proper care were more likely to be alive after 3 years.
Chronic Pain Management is Inadequate
The study found that chronic pain management in the elderly is generally inadequate, and made some specific recommendations for improvement:
- Screening for chronic pain
- Evaluation of patients with pain
- Follow-up with patients with a history of osteoarthritis
- Counseling regarding the toxicity of NSAIDs (Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs)
Less than 40% of those with chronic pain received care meeting minimum standards.
This clearly shows that there are opportunities for providing better pain management to the elderly.
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