Geriatric assessment: an overview of its impacts.

Geriatric assessment programs of various types have become an increasingly important component of the geriatric health care delivery system in the United States. Such programs provide interdisciplinary assessment, treatment planning, case management, and, often, rehabilitation for frail elderly persons and are especially important for those suspected of needing long-term institutional care. A growing body of literature, summarized in this chapter, documents many proven benefits to health care outcomes. Among these benefits are better diagnostic accuracy and treatment planning, more appropriate placement decisions with less referral to nursing homes, improved patient functional and mental status, prolonged patient survival, and lower overall use of costly institutional care services.