[Avoidable emergency department visits by nursing home residents: a narrative literature review].

Abstract

Residents of long-term care facilities for the elderly have complex medical needs. They are at particularly high risk of being admitted to the emergency room. However, some of these admissions could be prevented. Establishing a clear definition of what constitutes an avoidable admission for this population-and identifying the reasons behind it-allows us to focus our efforts on opportunities for improvement in the five areas listed below.