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N.C. — Paramedics with extended skills can provide a safe and effective alternative to standard ambulance transfer and hospital treatment for older people with a minor injury or illness, finds a study published on bmj.com today.

Older people make up to 21% of visits to hospital emergency departments and previous studies have suggested that paramedics can be trained to manage certain conditions in the community. But current research evidence concerning safety, effectiveness and costs to support these changes in practice is lacking.

So researchers based in South Yorkshire carried out the first randomised trial to evaluate the effectiveness of an alternative approach to managing older people with minor problems.

Full Story: Scheme to deliver patient-centered care to elderly