Table 4:

Themes from Focus Groups of Emergency Department and Hospital Providers about VEPT Program after One Year of Operation

Theme
Presence of VEPT makes ED providers more likely to consider elder abuse at least partially because doing so represents less additional work for them than it would have previously
Expertise and guidance from a consult service valuable to provide appropriate assessment and care to complex patients while avoiding prolonged ED stays
VEPT social worker reduces the burden on ED social workers by leading the social assessment and management of these complex, time-consuming cases during busy shifts.
VEPT consultation and input helps justify hospital admission for safety and reduces resistance from admitting team to plan.
VEPT involvement may reduce the length of hospitalization by completely assessing the social situation and addressing potential barriers to hospital discharge that might otherwise take several days to uncover.
VEPT team may ensure that Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy referrals for patients requiring admission are initiated in the ED, reducing the length of hospitalization, as the completion of these assessments is critical for hospital discharge and helps determine appropriate post-hospital disposition.
VEPT team, given their expertise and familiarity with available resources, may contact and regularly update family members, reducing the burden on and providing support to in-patient teams.
That the VEPT team is comprised of physicians and advanced practice providers who also work in the ED makes ED providers more comfortable activating and working with the team.
Inclusion of physicians as members of VEPT important to ensure that recommendations are considered seriously implemented by inpatient medical teams.
VEPT team participating in multi-disciplinary rounds on the first day after a patient is hospitalized may ensure that all inpatient staff are aware of the plan including next steps and reduce any anxiety about appropriate management.
Emphasizing the low threshold to consult VEPT and that any member of the ED team may do so is important to overcome reluctance of some to activate or concerns about appropriateness of cases for the team.
More education at regular interval on the VEPT program and clinical observations that should trigger activation and consideration of potential elder abuse would be helpful.