SALISBURY, N.C. – Novant Health Rowan Medical Center’s emergency department has earned a Level 3 Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation, highlighting a commitment to delivering remarkable care to older adults. The American College of Emergency Physicians implemented the Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA) program to improve patient outcomes and recognize emergency departments that integrate certain best practices to do so.
This achievement reinforces Novant Health’s dedication to providing all patients with individualized, high-quality healthcare, through every stage of life. As a Geriatric Emergency Department (GED), Rowan Medical Center is well-positioned to meet the needs, dispositions and presentations of older adults.
“At Novant Health Rowan Medical Center, we recognize that our emergency department cannot be a one-size-fits-all experience for patients,” said Dr. Joseph Cruz, assistant medical director, and vice-chairman of emergency medicine at Novant Health Rowan Medical Center. “For older adults, we know a trip to the ED can be frightening, and as a Level 3 Geriatric Emergency Department, our teams are equipped with the specialized skills to best treat these community members.”
With an aging population in the United States, many of the people who seek care in the emergency department are older adults with unique and complex needs. Geriatric patients are also more likely to require admittance to the hospital and longer stays. To ensure the standard of care evolves with the population, the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, Emergency Nurses Association, and American Geriatrics Society developed and released guidelines for caring for geriatric patients in the emergency department. These guidelines include adding geriatric-friendly equipment, specialized staff and more routine screening for dementia, delirium, fall risk and other vulnerabilities.
To achieve a Level 3 designation, Rowan Medical Center has integrated geriatric-specific initiatives and care processes laid out by the ACEP into the existing emergency department. This will elevate the level of care provided to elders and have a direct, positive impact on patients. Team members have also undergone interdisciplinary geriatric education, and geriatric-appropriate equipment and supplies are available in the emergency department. Data from the ACEP shows accredited Geriatric Emergency Departments have a lower admission rate and lower readmission rate to acute care hospitals and nursing homes. These enhancements will not only improve the healthcare delivery for older adults, but all patients.
"Rowan Medical Center is dedicated to serving the unique and individual healthcare needs of Salisbury and its surrounding communities," said Gary Blabon, president and chief operating officer of Novant Health Rowan Medical Center. “We care deeply about the health of each of our patients, and this accreditation should signal to our older patients and their families that they are in good hands when they walk in the doors of our emergency department and will receive the highest standard of care.”
Nationwide, 500 emergency departments have been recognized with this accreditation. The emergency departments at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center and Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center have also received this designation.
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