Effectiveness of family meeting in increasing follow-up rate, quality of life and satisfaction to services received among elderly patients at the Outpatient Clinic of Philippine General Hospital: A randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT

@#<p style="text-align justify;"><strong>BACKGROUND</strong> Family support is vital and could affect the outcome of many chronic diseases; hence involvement of family members in every patient encounter is important especially among elderly population. Family meeting could help the physician identify the often unmet needs of the family member and to improve care of the elderly patient. Research on families and health demonstrates the influence of the family on health and illness and the benefits of family interventions, yet there are only a few-well constructed randomized control trials.</p><p style="text-align justify;"><strong>OBJECTIVE</strong> To determine the effectiveness of family meeting and standard geriatric care versus standard geriatric care alone on outpatient follow up rate, quality of life and satisfaction to the services received at the outpatient department of elderly patients.</p><p style="text-align justify;"><strong>METHODOLOGY:</strong> The study was an open labelled randomized controlled trial among elderly patients referred to the Family Health Unit of UP-PGH. Patients were randomized to either family meeting and comprehensive geriatric assessment or comprehensive geriatric assessment alone. Patients were advised to follow up at 2,4 and 12 weeks. After the initial meeting, QOL and satisfaction were measured at baseline and done during subsequent follow up.</p><p style="text-align justify;"><strong>RESULTS</strong> A total of 110 elderly patients referred to the family health unit for comprehensive geriatric assessment were included in the study. The follow up rate 2,4 and 12 weeks after initial consultation was significantly higher among elderly who received family meeting and comprehensive geriatric assessment versus elderly patients who received the comprehensive geriatric assessment alone, p-value >0.05. Satisfaction to services received, at two weeks follow-up, was likewise significantly higher among elderly who received family meeting plus CGA. There was no significant difference in the quality of life on both groups.</p><p style="text-align justify;"><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> Family meeting and comprehensive geriatric assessment are effective in promoting compliance to follow-up and satisfaction to health service provision among elderly Filipinos referred to the Family Health Unit.</p>