Definitions & Acronyms

Note: all definitions are the intellectual property of their respective authors as cited. The definitions are transcribed word-for-word as originally written by the authors to preserve accuracy.

Failure to Rescue

Post-operative mortality after a complication (Courtesy of Ghafferi et al)

LOS

Length of stay.

RRS

Rapid response system

RRT

Rapid response team

Knock-on Effect

When an event or situation has a knock-on effect, it causes other events or situations, but not directly (Cambridge Dictionary).

Ring-fencing Funding

To make sure that a sum of money is protected and only used for a particular purpose (Cambridge Dictionary).

Frailty

Frailty is a multisystemn deterioration of physiologic function which results in the frail individual being vulnerable to even seemingly minor external stressors.

It is a long-established clinical expression that implies concern about an elderly person’s vulnerability and outlook (Courtesy of Clegg et al, 2013).

Sarcopenia

A syndrome characterized by progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength with an increased risk of adverse outcomes such as physical disability, poor quality of life and death (Courtesy of European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People)