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Twenty-six matched pairs of elderly male patients who had been evaluated in an outpatient geriatric evaluation unit (GEU) were assigned randomly to be followed in either a geriatrics clinic with an interdisciplinary team or a general medical clinic without an interdisciplinary team. Patients were medically stable and living in the community. At 12 months no difference was found in cognitive, affective, or functional status. Both groups of patients had similar frequencies of hospitalization, community placement, use of community services, and number of deaths. These findings suggest that the major benefit from GEUs may be in the initial assessment and treatment rather than in the subsequent care provided by interdisciplinary teams in geriatrics specialty clinics.

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