Pathway to Detection & Differentiation of Delirium & Dementia in the Emergency Department

Pathway to Detection & Differentiation of Delirium & Dementia in the Emergency Department

This is an observational study of the pragmatic implementation of an ED screening, outpatient referral, and care coordination process for older ED patients who may have UCID.

Embedded pragmatic, implementation pilot that incorporates training, ED assessment for delirium and dementia risk, referral of ED patients with undiagnosed cognitive impairment and dementia for primary care feedback and care recommendations. This pilot would gather observational data evaluating the feasibility of incorporating cognitive impairment screens into routine ED delirium assessments, and developing optimal work flow for identifying and referring ED patients with suspected (undiagnosed) dementia for confirmatory evaluation and care coordination.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults age 65 or older
• Discharged from the adult ED at YNHH or the ED at NMH

Exclusion Criteria:

• Documented or known history of dementia
• Alcohol/substance intoxication while in the ED
• Non-English or Non-Spanish speaking