Lay summary
Geriatric patients account for more than 50% of all in-patients in New Zealand. The renowned approach developed by the Canterbury Health District, currently widely adopted in Australasia, aims to reduce acute hospital admissions by implementing an integrated preventative healthcare system. For acute older patients already admitted to a hospital a critical success factor is frequent extended diagnostic procedures, enabling early detection of health issues and administering preventive treatment for comorbidities beyond the presenting acute condition.
The proven success record of preventive approaches also indicates a possible direction for further work to fully realize the potential of preventive healthcare for public health and geriatric patients. To this end, translational research has a large potential considering a vast body of literature on machine preventive maintenance in industry exists, featuring advanced scientific knowledge. Drawing from this knowledge base, the proposed project aims to enhance preventive healthcare.