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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1974.
FOR A PATIENT ABOUT TO BE DISCHARGED BACK TO HIS OR HER OWN HOME, A HOSTEL, OR AN OLD PEOPLE'S HOME, ATTENDANCE AT THE UNIT'S +DAY HOSPITAL+ WILL BE NECESSARY FOR SOME TIME. THIS IS ALSO A NEW CONCEPT. IN THE UNIT'S OVERALL STRATEGY. THE +DAY HOSPITAL+ WILL SERVE AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL AND THE COMMUNITY.
SINCE THERE ARE NO GUIDELINES FOR A PIONEER PROJECT OF THIS KIND, THE COMMITTEE IS AGREED THAT, IN ADDITION TO THE AGE MINIMUM OF 65 YEARS, ADMISSION WILL BE SUBJECT TO THESE OTHER CRITERIA:
* PATIENTS MUST BE SUFFERING FROM CONDITIONS WHICH,
IN THE OPINION OF THE CHIEF OF THE GERIATRIC UNIT, WOULD BENEFIT FROM ACTIVE TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION.
THEY MUST NEED +HOSPITAL+ CARE AS OPPOSED TO +RESIDENTIAL+ CARE IN AN OLD PEOPLE'S HOME.
THEY MUST NOT BE MENTALLY DISTURBED, SINCE IN THAT CASE, THEY WOULD BE REFERRED TO PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS OR CLINICS.
THEIR ADMISSIONS MUST DEPEND ON THE AVAILABILITY OF VACANT BEDS.
PATIENTS WILL BE REFERRED FOR CONSULTATION TO THE SPECIALIST GERIATRIC CLINIC IN SOUTH KWAI CHUNG OR, ON SPECIAL REQUEST FROM OTHER GOVERNMENT UNITS, BEDSIDE CONSULTATION WILL BE ARRANGED.
SUITABLE PATIENTS WILL THEN BE SELECTED FOR ADMISSION AND TREATMENT IN THE UNIT, BUT ADMISSION WILL NOT BE DIRECTLY FROM THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL'S CASUALTY DEPARTMENT.
PRE-SELECTION IS INTENDED AS A MEANS OF MAKING EFFECTIVE USE OF AVAILABLE GERIATRIC BEDS, AND THE UNIT'S FACILITIES.
+ INAPPROPRIATE ADMISSION WITHOUT PRELIMINARY GERIATRIC CONSULTATION,+ A SPOKESMAN EXPLAINS, +COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES RESULTING FROM THE MISPLACEMENT OF PATIENTS AND MISUSE OF ACUTE GERIATRIC BEDS.
+THIS WOULD RESULT IN AN UNNECESSARY BLOCKAGE OF BEDS, A LOW TURNOVER RATE, AND THE CREATION OF AN UNACCEPTABLE WAITING LIST.+ THE SPOKESMAN SAYS THE EXPERIENCE OF GERIATRIC UNITS IN OTHER COUNTRIES IS THAT UNLESS A PRE-SELECTION SYSTEM IS APPLIED, THE UNIT WILL QUICKLY DEGENERATE INTO A DUMPING GROUND+ FOR ELDERLY PATIENTS UNLIKELY TO RESPOND TO TREATMENT.
THE ULTIMATE AIM OF A QUICK TURNOVER OF SUITABLE PATIENTS -- WHOSE REINTEGRATION WOULD BENEFIT BOTH THE COMMUNITY AND THEM WILL THEN BE DEFEATED.
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