Depression is common among acutely ill elderly medical inpatients.
Identification of such depression by the geriatric medicine staff would allow early treatment. The impact of a depression screening procedure on documentation of depressive signs and symptoms in the medical and nursing case-notes was examined. The frequency of documentation of depressive signs and symptoms after the screening procedure with the short GDS was associated with subsequent prescription of antidepressants and referral to the psychogeriatric service. The screening procedure itself may increase the general awareness of depressive signs and symptoms and affect its management. These results require replication.