Efficiency, Safety, Quality, and Empathy: Balancing Competing Perioperative Challenges in the Older Adults

William K Hart; John C Klick; Mitchell H Tsai

doi:10.1016/j.cger.2024.03.010

Efficiency, Safety, Quality, and Empathy: Balancing Competing Perioperative Challenges in the Older Adults

Clin Geriatr Med. 2025 Feb;41(1):117-130. doi: 10.1016/j.cger.2024.03.010.

Authors

William K Hart¹, John C Klick¹, Mitchell H Tsai²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anesthesiology, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA.
² Department of Anesthesiology, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA; Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation (by courtesy), University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA; Department of Surgery (by courtesy), University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA. Electronic address: mitchell.tsai@uvmhealth.org.

PMID: 39551537
DOI: 10.1016/j.cger.2024.03.010

Abstract

Although baby boomer generation accounts for a little more than 15% of the US population, the cohort represents a disproportionate percentage of patients undergoing surgery. As this group continues to age, a multitude of challenges have arisen in health care regarding the safest and most effective means of providing anesthesia services to these patients. Many older adults patients may be exquisitely sensitive to the effects of anesthesia and surgery and may experience cognitive and physical decline before, during, or after hospital admission. In this review article, the authors briefly examine the physiologic processes underlying aging and explore steps necessary to deliver safe, empathetic care.

Keywords: Efficiency; Empathy; Geriatric; Perioperative care; Quality; Safety.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Aged
Aging* / physiology
Aging* / psychology
Anesthesia / adverse effects
Anesthesia / methods
Empathy*
Humans
Patient Safety
Perioperative Care* / methods