A Randomized Clinical Trial of Outpatient Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Coupled with an Intervention to Increase Adherence to Recommendations

BACKGROUND: Although comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) has been demonstrated to confer health benefits in some settings, its value in outpatient or office settings is uncertain. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of outpatient CGA consultation coupled with an adherence intervention on 15‐month health outcomes. DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Community‐based sites. PATIENTS: 363 community‐dwelling older persons who had failed a screen for at least one of four conditions (falls, urinary incontinence, depressive symptoms, or functional impairment) INTERVENTION: A single outpatient CGA consultation coupled with an intervention to improve primary care physician and patient adherence with CGA recommendations. MEASUREMENTS: Medical Outcomes Study Short Form‐36 (MOS SF‐36), restricted activity and bed days, Physical Perfomance Test, NIA lower‐extremity battery. RESULTS: In complete case analysis (excluding the five control group subjects who died during the follow‐up period), the adjusted difference in change scores (4.69 points) for physical functioning between treatment and control groups indicated a significant benefit of treatment (P = .021). Similar benefits were demonstrated for number of restricted activity days and MOS SF‐36 energy/fatigue, social functioning, and physical health summary scales. In analyses assigning scores of 0 to those who died, these benefits were greater, and significant benefits for the Physical Performance Test and MOS SF‐36 emotional/well being, pain, and mental health summary scales were also demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: A single outpatient comprehensive geriatric assessment coupled with an adherence intervention can prevent functional and health‐related quality‐of‐life decline among community‐dwelling older persons who have specific geriatric conditions.