The Northwest Health – La Porte Emergency Department (ED) is now the first and only Accredited Senior-Friendly ED in Northwest and North Central Indiana. The hospital received the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA) in January. The accreditation is part of an effort to improve and standardize emergency care for older patients.
“Older adults visit EDs at a higher rate, and they often present with multiple chronic conditions and face more social and physical challenges than the general population,” said Keith Nichols, Chief Executive Officer, Northwest Health – La Porte and Starke. “With this honor, the seniors who visit our ED can be assured that our team provides optimal, senior-sensitive care and uses geriatric-focused protocols for transitions of care, quality improvement and outcomes.”
Nearly one-quarter of ED visits among patients aged 60 and older result in a hospital admission, and this percentage increases with age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The GEDA accreditation program promotes the goal of providing quality care to older adult patients with specific criteria and goals for clinicians and administrators that include:
- Enhanced staffing and education
- Geriatric-focused policies and protocols, including transition of care
- Quality improvements and outcomes
- Appropriate preparation of the treatment area
“Achieving an accreditation like this comes after many hours of work from an expansive interdisciplinary team. Thanks to each and every member of that team, we now have a Senior-Friendly ED in La Porte County,” said Nichols.
To learn more about Northwest Health, visit NWHealthIN.com.
About Northwest Health
Northwest Health is a comprehensive healthcare system committed to providing communities in Northwest Indiana with high-quality, accessible healthcare—from highly specialized care and surgical services to more routine primary care. The system of more than 60 access points includes three hospitals, five emergency departments, urgent care centers, outpatient surgery centers, an ambulance service, and physician offices. A team of more than 3,000 employees work together with the more than 700 physicians on its medical staffs. For more information, visit NWHealthIN.com.
