Socially conscious surgical care must prioritize older adults

Claire M Sokas; Frances Hu; Zara Cooper

doi:10.1016/j.surg.2021.01.028

Socially conscious surgical care must prioritize older adults

Surgery. 2021 Aug;170(2):635-636. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2021.01.028. Epub 2021 Feb 27.

Authors

Claire M Sokas¹, Frances Hu², Zara Cooper³

Affiliations

¹ Brigham and Woman's Hospital, Center for Surgery and Public Health, Boston, MA. Electronic address: csokas@bwh.harvard.edu.
² Brigham and Woman's Hospital, Center for Surgery and Public Health, Boston, MA.
³ Brigham and Woman's Hospital, Center for Surgery and Public Health, Boston, MA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.

PMID: 33653614
DOI: 10.1016/j.surg.2021.01.028

Abstract

A commentary on social justice issues in geriatric surgery FUTURE DIRECTIONS: Recognizing social determinants of health and racism as a contributing mechanism for inequities in the care of older adult surgical patients KNOWLEDGE GAPS: Identifying the role of the surgeon in achieving health equity for older adults PURPOSE: Increase recognition of opportunities for antiracist care in everyday surgical practice, including shared decision-making and palliative care STATE OF THE ART: Patient treatment goals documented in their own words. Social needs screening in older adult surgical patients TECHNOLOGY GAPS: Platform for clear documentation of surgical treatments offered and patient treatment goals, social determinants of health and social risk factors, and collaborative treatment and discharge plans discussed across multidisciplinary, elder-friendly teams.

MeSH terms

Aged
General Surgery*
Health Services Accessibility*
Healthcare Disparities*
Humans
Social Determinants of Health*