Functional Assessment and Housestaff Behavior with the Elderly

Physicians utilizing functional assessment questionnaires on elderly, clinic patients for three months demonstrated a significant increase in educational recommendations for patients and a marginal increase in the chart note length. Although the questionnaire identified functional problems and unmet needs, physicians rarely noted these, or recommended any diagnostic/therapeutic procedures. The questionnaire was considered comprehensive, yet burdensome to administer. Screening functional assessment might be more effectively incoporated into geriatric practice if it is a component of routine hsitory-taking, reinforced in preclinical and residency training, and allotted more time during patient encounters.