The mobile seniors’ clinic - an innovative transition of care for frail older adults

Abstract Background This study aims to evaluate the impact of Quebec’s first hospital-at-home-inspired mobile Seniors’ Clinic, the “Clinique des Ainés (CDA)”, on frail older adults’ returns to the Emergency Department (ED), mortality, and hospital Length Of Stay (LOS) and rehospitalizations. Methods Design: Quasi-experimental pre-post implementation cohort study. Population: Patients aged ≥ 75 years admitted to the short-term geriatric unit after an ED consultation (control) or included by the CDA (intervention). Outcomes: return to ED (RtoED), mortality, ED & hospital LOS, and rehospitalizations. Statistical analyses: Multivariable regression modelling. Results Overall, 891 patients were included. At the intervention site (CDA) (n = 437), RtoED were similar at 30 (17.5% & 19.5%, p = 0.58), 90 (34.4% & 37.3%, p = 0.46) and 180 days (47.2% & 54.0%, p = 0.07) in the pre and post-implementation phases. No mortality differences were found. The hospitalization LOS was significantly shorter (28.26 and 14.22 days, p