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Introductory Information

Introduction: A 3-year research project began on 15 May 2000 to construct a standardised method of collecting information about the main health problems relating to older people entering hospital medical care.

Aim: To improve quality of care and outcomes of elderly people in hospital by using the constructed ACMEplus instrument to carry out audit and interventional studies.

8 European centres involved: Aberdeen, UK (Co-ordinating Centre led by Professor D Gwyn Seymour); Ancona, Italy; Athens, Greece; Barcelona, Spain; Bialystok, Poland; Birmingham, UK; Sheffield, UK; Turku, Finland.

Methodology: The majority of information about patients was extracted from hospital notes with a short patient interview on their third day in hospital. Medical and nursing staff were approached by our research nurses to find out a small amount of information about the patient's status and functional ability. Patients were contacted a month after hospital discharge for follow-up.

Funded by: The Commission of the European Communities, Fifth Framework Programme, Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources (proposal number QLRT-1999-02070), Key Action: Population and their Disabilities.