Clifford Ko

A new program has been launched that sets quality standards for surgical decision-making for the oldest old. The results may shift the need from step-down post-surgical care to palliative care for some residents over the age of 75. 

A growing number of seniors are seeking surgical care. Those over age 75 have unique surgical needs and are often at higher risk of post-surgical complications. With that in mind, the new Geriatric Surgery Verification Program, proposed and recently pilot-tested by the American College of Surgeons, has introduced 30 new standards designed to improve surgical care and outcomes for aging adults. It includes goals for improving communication between patients and their healthcare team, managing medications, screening for cognitive, nutrition, and mobility decline, and ensuring proper staffing is in place, among other concerns.

In each case, patients and their caregivers should have all the information they need before choosing surgical or non-surgical options, program developers said. “Given the distinct care requirements for this growing population of older adults, we saw a clear need to identify the most important aspects of their surgical care and to create a new program … that still prioritizes each individual’s unique treatment needs and goals,” said Clifford Y. Ko, M.D., director of the ACS Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care.

Hospitals may begin enrolling in the program in late October.

In related news:

A new ACS study has identified the four main reasons older patients are unable to return home following surgery:

  • History of a fall within the past year
  • Preoperative malnutrition as defined by more than 10% of unintentional weight loss
  • Postoperative delirium
  • A new or worsening pressure ulcer after surgery

Watch an ACS video about the new Geriatric Surgery Verification Program.