How the needs of older patients vary widely from younger ones

“The elderly often present with atypical symptoms. If they’re having angina, they may not have chest pain. If they have an infection, they may not have a high fever or an elevated white blood cell count. Having this collaborative team support means we can do more for patients in the ED.”

— Denise Nassisi, M.D., head of Mount Sinai’s Geriatric Emergency Department, on how the needs of older patients vary widely from younger ones. A senior focused medical center is looking to bridge this disconnect between the elderly and their doctors, but will this keep return visits down