The first geriatric ED opened in New Jersey in 2008, according to Kaiser Health News, and now there are more than 100 nationwide. The setup grew so much in popularity that the American College of Emergency Physicians wrote its own guidelines for geriatric EDs. Some of the specialized EDs are staffed with geriatric-trained clinicians, while others have tools like extra hearing aides, according to KHN.
Mount Sinai Hospital set up the first geriatric ED in New York City in 2012. The 20-bed unit features thicker mattresses — which can reduce the risk of bed sores — as well as raised toilets, hand rails and curtains that can reduce noise.
These specialty areas can help reduce unnecessary admissions, as seniors can be better cared for in the ED itself, and trained staff can make sure it’s safe to discharge the patient.
“We are trying to change the culture of just admitting,” Denise Nassisi, MD, who runs the geriatric ED at Mount Sinai, told KHN.
The spread of geriatric EDs mirrors that of hospitals designing units specifically for the elderly to help prevent physical and mental decline while hospitalized.
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