The geriatric day hospital: a canadian experience.

As geriatric day hospitals (GDHs) and assessment units (GAUs) become increasingly established as part of the Canadian medical scene, a closer definition is emerging both of the role of the family physician working in their programs and also of the role of the family physician whose patient is being assessed in their units. This paper briefly summarizes the development of GDHs and GAUs in Canada, their rationale and their objectives. A detailed account is given of such a functioning program, the Short Term Assessment and Treatment (STAT) Centre at Vancouver General Hospital. The relationships of the family physician working there as a team member are described, and the role of the community family physician whose patient is being assessed in such a program is clarified.