I follow a few people on Twitter who are involved in Geriatrics and it’s a useful way to hear of interesting discussions or guidelines. Recently I saw a tweet by an Irish geriatrician about “evidence-based falls’ prevention”, which turned out to be an extract from a presentation by Sydney based Professor Stephen Lord. I had previously invited him to speak to GP registrars and his summary of what works in primary care was one of the most useful summaries I had heard and I refer to it often.
The visual presentation on slides 32-34 is more memorable but a written summary is as follows:
This seemed an appropriate topic following on from my brief summary of the new osteoporosis guidelines. Whilst writing that I had tried out the online fracture risk tools on myself. Ironically, however, two days after I finished the article I fell from my push bike, fracturing my radius (from standing height so, technically, a minimal trauma fracture). My previously reassuring “fracture risk” has doubled overnight. It was a useful reminder that risk tools are just that, and also that your patient’s risk is never zero, however reassuring it looks. Sometimes crucial factors are absent from the algorithm.
Two weeks later during my dental appointment, in an unexpected tangent, my dentist alerted me to a talk he had heard by Trisha Greenhalgh (Professor of Primary Health Care in Oxford and whom I also follow on Twitter). The talk, entitled Real vs Rubbish EBM, describes her own experience of a high impact fall off her bike which resulted in several fractures. Because she turned 55 in hospital, she entered the “falls algorithm”. It’s well worth watching the lecture for an approach to patient-focussed EBM as well as issues related to the implementation of guidelines. Watch it here
Become a member and get unlimited access to 100s of hours of premium education.
Learn moreJames, a university student with a history of seasonal allergic rhinitis, presents with sudden respiratory distress following exposure to grass pollen during a soccer game shortly before a summer thunderstorm. Could this be thunderstorm asthma?
Explore patient-centred strategies for managing antidepressant use in older adults using the mnemonic CARE as a framework for effective decision-making, monitoring, and deprescribing. Learn how the Quality Use of Medicines Alliance promotes safer, tailored approaches to mental health management in older populations.
Navigating the world of Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) billing can seem daunting. This concise guide provides general practitioners (GPs) with essential information on claiming for key DVA services, incentive payments, and compensation claim paperwork, ensuring accurate and efficient processing of your claims.