The Geriatric Population

Older patients are unique in many ways. There is a wide spectrum of patients who can be high functioning or quite frail. How does the patient’s functional impairment impact your decision making for ordering tests, treatments, and procedures? If there is cognitive impairment and the history is therefore not as robust, a provider may order more testing than if the patient was fully competent. Have you come across this issue in your practice? What are some ways that you still work to use resources judiciously for these patients?