Hospitals in Southern California are in a much stronger position to provide specialized emergency medical care to area seniors, thanks to an 18-month-long collaboration between the Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC) and West Health, a nonprofit focused on aging and healthcare practice, policy and applied medical research.

In 2023, the two groups joined forces to provide educational, financial and technical assistance to HASC-member hospitals to help them earn accreditation as a geriatric emergency department (GED) from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).

Since then, HASC GED accreditations have jumped more than 50% and include Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, San Antonio Regional Hospital and Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center San Pedro, which are now among the hospitals recognized for delivering best practices and a higher standard of care when treating older adults for medical emergencies.

“The data generally show when there is a GED in the community health outcomes improve, hospital admissions drop, and overall healthcare costs come down. While we still have a long way to go to ensure all seniors have access throughout the country, we are making tremendous progress,” said Shelley Lyford, CEO and Chair, West Health.

California leads the country in GEDs with nearly 100, covering about half the state’s senior population. That’s more than the national average, where nearly 500 GEDs cover only ~30% of the senior population. California’s Master Plan for Aging, a 10-year “blueprint” released in 2021 to guide the development of public- and private-sector programs and policies for the state’s growing senior population, includes support for increasing access to GEDs.

ACEP established the Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA) Program in 2018 in response to growing evidence that emergency departments (EDs) were having difficulties meeting the needs of older patients. Individuals aged 60 and older make about 20% (29 million) of all ED visits, more than any other age group. West Health and The John A. Hartford Foundation provided financial support and foundational work for the accreditation program and remain involved in expanding its reach and best practices.

“Emergency departments play a critical role in caring for older adults, who often have complex medical and psychosocial care needs," states John Chapman, President and CEO of San Antonio Regional Hospital, located in Upland, CA, which recently earned its accreditation through the West Health–HASC partnership. "GEDA has strengthened our ability to provide the highest level of care to our community’s senior population. GEDA’s best practice guidelines have helped us minimize multiple ED encounters and readmission rates, improve clinical outcomes, and reduce expenses.”

“It has been well known that geriatric patients are not just older adults, they have specific needs. Pursuing GEDA has improved the understanding of our older adult patients' experience in the ED by addressing their social and medical needs. The role of the ED in an age-friendly health system and shift toward value-based healthcare is helping to advance the GEDA movement,” adds Robert Braithwaite, CEO of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, located in Newport Beach.