Geriatric Medicine

- section of UEMS



Delegates:

Jesús Mateos del Nozal
je_mdn@yahoo.es

Maria Victoria Farre-Mercade
mavifarre@hotmail.com

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Geriatrics in Spain

Do geriatric co-management programs exist in non-geriatric units:
Yes, geriatric co-management programs exist in Spain in non-geriatric units such as orthopedics (orthogeriatrics), cardiology (cardiogeriatrics), oncology (oncogeriatrics), surgery, nephrology, emergency medicine and perioperative management
Total population >65 Years old (in absolute numbers): :
9.897.896
Population aged 65+ (or 60+) (in %):: :
20,3%
Population aged 75+ (in %)::
9,9%
Population aged 80+ (in %):  :
6,1%
Gender distribution in the older population (60+) :
65+ data: 0.78 males per female. In absolute numbers: 5.556.611 females and 4.341.285 males
Most frequent Diagnosis-related groupsin older adults:
?Most Frequent DRGs in Spain (≥85 years old) DRG. Diagnosis and % of Hospital Discharges: Heart failure 10.62%, Pneumonia 7.36% Other respiratory diseases (e.g., COPD) 8.49% Urinary tract infection (UTI) 6.12% Femoral neck fracture 6.77% Cancer / Neoplasms 7.34% Ischemic encephalopathy 5.85% Ischemic cardiomyopathy 8.49% Cholelithiasis (gallstones) 3.28% COPD (as main diagnosis) 3.15%
Mortality and morbidity information:
In Spain, older adults (≥65 years), who represent over 20% of the population, commonly suffer from multimorbidity—especially women and those with lower education levels—with prevalent chronic conditions including hypertension, osteoarthritis, diabetes, COPD, ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and colorectal cancer the leading causes of death in this group are ischemic heart disease, stroke, COPD, Alzheimer’s disease, and lung cancer, with 80.5% of deaths occurring in people aged ≥70 and 92.8% due to non-communicable diseases, while fall-related mortality is also rising, with 79% of such deaths occurring in those aged 65 and over.
National geriatrics society/association name:
Sociedad ESpañola de Geriatría y Gerontología (SEGG), Sociedad Española de Medicina Geriátrica (SEMEG)
Contact details (email, phone number) :
SEGG – Spanish Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology. Email: secretaria@segg.es Phone: +34 91 411 17 07 SEMEG – Spanish Society of Geriatric Medicine Email: secretaria@semeg.es Phone: +34 91 361 26 00 / +34 91 833 74 33 / +34 623 328 371
Website - URL :
SEGG:www.segg.es SEMEG:www.semeg.es
Total number of certified geriatricians in the country :
843 Ministerio de Sanidad. Oferta y necesidad de médicos especialistas en España 2023–2035. Gobierno de España.)
Is Geriatrics a recognized specialty? (Yes/No) :
Yes
Duration of postgraduate training in geriatric medicine (years): :
4
Criteria to be admitted in geriatric medicine residency training:
The national MIR (médico Interno residente) exam
Any ongoing programs to train more geriatricians? (Yes/No):
Yes. Expansion of training posts (plazas MIR): the number of Geriatrics residency slots has been progressively increased in recent MIR calls. For example, the 2023 call included 77 new Geriatrics positions, higher than in previous years.
Criteria for a patient be treated by a geriatrician :
In Spain, patients are treated by a geriatrician if they are typically aged ≥75–80 years and present with frailty, multimorbidity, polypharmacy, functional or cognitive impairment, frequent falls, or require a comprehensive geriatric assessment.
Number of hospitals with dedicated geriatric units:
We have lack of current data, but in 202442 hospitals currently offer MIR (Medical Intern Resident) training in geriatrics, indicating a growing infrastructure for geriatric care.
Kind of units present in hospitals involved in geriatric care:
In Spain, hospitals involved in geriatric care may include acute geriatric units, intermediate units and hospitals, subacute units, rehabilitation centers, long-stay hospitals, orthogeriatrics units, psychogeriatrics units, cognitive disorder clinics, falls clinics, geriatrics clinics, frailty units, and geriatric liaison teams.
Do geriatric co-management programs exist in non-geriatric units:
Yes, geriatric co-management programs exist in Spain in non-geriatric units such as orthopedics (orthogeriatrics), cardiology (cardiogeriatrics), oncology (oncogeriatrics), surgery, nephrology, emergency medicine and perioperative management
Major challenges :
Spain faces major challenges in geriatrics, including workforce shortages, limited facilities, and unequal access.
Initiatives or solutions being implemented to address these :
which are being addressed heterogeneously through expanded training programs, integrated care models, and national strategies promoting community-based and person-centered care.
Are there regional disparities in geriatric care?:
Yes
Which regions have the best/worst access to geriatric services? :
Andalucía, País Vasco (Vasc Country), Valencia
Number of long-term care facilities:
Spain has approximately 5,188 residential care centers dedicated to elderly individuals. These centers encompass both public and private facilities, offering a range of services from basic assistance to specialized geriatric care. However, the exact number of facilities providing specialized geriatric care is not specified in the available data
Are there co-management programs in these:
Yes, some long-term care facilities in Spain have co-management programs—mainly through geriatric liaison teams, primary care coordination, hospital-at-home services, and palliative care—though implementation remains heterogeneous and region-dependent.
Name of Universities Offering Geriatric Medicine:
Update in progress
Geriatric medicine is part of undergraduate training?:
Update in progress
Is there a postgraduate curriculum specific to geriatrics?:
yes
How many candidates are enrolled into geriatric:
120
Name of UEMS board membersandcontacts per country:
Maria Victoria Farré-Mercadé, mavifarre@hotmail.com
Additional comments or important information
NONE
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Definición de Medicina geriátrica

Definición de Medicina geriátrica (aceptada en Malta el 3/5/2008, y mejorada en Copenhaguen el 6/09/2008)

La geriatría es una especialidad médica que atiende la problemática física, mental, funcional y social tanto en la fase aguda, como crónica, de rehabilitación, preventiva y de final de vida de los pacientes ancianos.

Estos pacientes se caracterizan por poseer un alto grado de fragilidad y de pluripatología activa, por lo que precisan de un abordaje holístico. La presentación de las enfermedades es distinta en la edad avanzada y a menudo son difíciles de diagnosticar; por lo que la respuesta al tratamiento suele retrasarse y frecuentemente se necesita un soporte social.

De este modo, la geriatría va más allá de la medicina centrada en el órgano; por lo que requiere de un abordaje multidisciplinar que tiene como principal objetivo, optimizar el estado funcional de la persona anciana y mejorar su calidad de vida así como su autonomía.

La geriatría no se define específicamente por la edad, sino que también considera la morbilidad típica que presentan los pacientes ancianos. La mayoría de pacientes serán mayores de 65 años, pero los problemas mejor tratados por la especialidad de geriatría son más frecuentes en el grupo de pacientes mayores de 80 años.

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Se reconoce que, por razones históricas y estructurales, la organización de la medicina geriátrica puede variar entre los distintos países miembros europeos.