Experiences of Ambulatory Care for Frail, Older People and Their Carers During Acute Illness: A Qualitative, Ethnographic Study

Increased age is associated with increased emergency department attendance and emergency hospital admissions,1 but there is evidence that the acute hospital environment is unsuited to older people with frailty.2, 3, 4, 5 There are policy imperatives to increase the acute care delivered outside traditional hospital settings.6 For some patients, acute care can be delivered on an ambulatory basis,7 but the impact on them is uncertain.

Ambulatory care aims to provide equivalent medical care outside traditional hospital settings. The acute care pathway at ambulatory care units in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, is targeted at, older people who are frail. Patients are referred by primary care physicians (from the patient's practice or out-of-hours service) or paramedics responding to emergency calls. The units provide rapid assessment and interventions unavailable in primary care, closer to patients' homes.