Dr. Marjorie Warren was the first doctor in the UK to systematically assess older people, categorizing them into those who could be got better with appropriate treatment and then discharged, and those who needed continuing (usually institutional) care.
[6] In acute medicine the involvement of early CGA has been shown to reduce length of stay and improve management of people over the age of 70.
[8] This makes determining the cause of any deterioration more difficult, and thus deciding the best treatment plan is also challenging, since it depends on accurately diagnosing the underlying medical problem.
[11] The physician (usually a geriatrician or GP) assesses physical and mental health; the pharmacist may undertake a medication review (deprescribing; the nurse assesses various aspects of personal care (for example skin integrity and continence); the physiotherapist, balance and mobility; the occupational therapist, activities of daily living; and the social worker, social aspects of the case.
Usually, the MDT meet regularly to integrate the information from the various assessments in order to formulate a list of problems and potential solutions.
[17][18] Older people with moderate or severe frailty who are admitted to a hospital due to an unexpected emergency have an increased risk of a prolonged length of stay, death, and being discharged to a place other than their home.
[21][22] When used in primary care, CGA can lead to an improved adherence to medication modifications[23] and may also have a positive effect on outcomes with respect to functional status, social activity, satisfaction with life and health, and mood.