Methodist Women’s Hospital Honored With Renewed Geriatric ED Accreditation

More than 10,000 people in America turn 65 each day, and it’s estimated that patients 65 and older account for over 19% of emergency room visits. At the Methodist Women’s Hospital Emergency Department in 2022, that number was 21% – about 44 people each day.

Methodist Women’s Hospital is proud to announce that it has again been awarded Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA) from the American College of Emergency Physicians. With the renewal of its Level 3 accreditation, Women’s Hospital remains one of only three facilities in Nebraska to have received GEDA recognition. Methodist Hospital received Level 2 accreditation in 2020 and was the first Nebraska hospital to be recognized; Women’s Hospital’s accreditation came later that year.

“The Emergency Department is excited and proud to be recognized again by the American College of Emergency Physicians,” said Shelley Hultman, DNP, APRN-CNS, AGCNS-BC, SANE-A, the clinical nurse specialist for geriatrics in the Methodist Hospital and Methodist Women’s Hospital emergency departments. “We’ve integrated the best practices for older adults into the amazing care we already provide to the community, and this accreditation highlights our dedication to the growing number of older adults we care for.”

To obtain a Level 3 designation, an emergency department must have in place one or more initiatives intended to elevate the level of care for seniors, with staff members specifically trained to give those initiatives the best chance for success. At Women’s Hospital, initiatives include using the Identification of Seniors at Risk (ISAR) tool to screen older adults. After a patient is discharged, a Methodist geriatric resource nurse (GRN) specially trained to care for older adults follows up and helps them navigate and connect with health and community resources. The result can be fewer repeat emergency room visits and hospital readmissions.

GRN staffing grew out of Methodist Hospital’s Geriatric Resource Nurse pilot program in 2016. Today, a GRN is available every weekday at Methodist Hospital and one day a week at Women’s Hospital.

Methodist Health System is also an Age-Friendly Health System, which puts the patient and their wishes first by addressing the 4Ms: what matters, medications, mentation and mobility. The 4Ms were initially implemented on the Acute Care for Elders (ACE) Unit at Methodist Hospital and at the Methodist Physicians Clinic HealthWest and Indian Hills locations. Earlier this year, Methodist Fremont Health and Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital were also recognized for implementing the 4Ms into their care.

“There’s a generation of patients relying on us for care that meets its unique needs,” said Deborah Conley, MSN, APRN-CNS, GCNS-BC, service executive for geriatrics at Methodist Hospital. “It’s an honor to be recognized for our many geriatric care efforts, but the real joy is seeing how they improve the lives of our patients.”