Rancho Mirage, CA (August 9, 2022) In recognition of its geriatric-focused emergency care, Eisenhower Health has earned bronze level accreditation from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA) by ACEP acknowledges the institution’s dedication to providing a high standard of care that meets the unique health care needs of older adults in the Coachella Valley.

According to an AARP survey conducted in 2021, the number of households headed by people age 65 and older is expected to grow from 34 million to 48 million in the next two decades. Those surveyed value communities that provide access to not only clean water and healthy foods, but also quality health care.

“The Coachella Valley is one of the most popular destinations for retired adults,” says Eric Leroux MD, MBA, Emergency Medicine physician, Chief Quality Officer and Vice President, Quality, Eisenhower Health. “And as the desert continues to attract retirees, it will also continue to require high quality care for emergencies. With ACEP’s geriatric emergency department accreditation, Eisenhower has demonstrated that its focus is on providing the highest standards of care for our older patients who have made the Coachella Valley their home.”

The GEDA program is the culmination of years of progress in emergency care of older adults. In 2014, ACEP along with Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, Emergency Nurses Association, and American Geriatrics Society, developed and released geriatric ED guidelines, recommending measures ranging from adding geriatric-friendly equipment to specialized staff to more routine screening for delirium, dementia, and fall risk, among other vulnerabilities.

The voluntary GEDA program, which includes three levels similar to trauma center designations, provides specific criteria and goals for emergency clinicians and administrators to target. The accreditation process provides more than two dozen best practices for geriatric care and the level of GEDA accreditation achieved depends upon how many of these best practices an emergency department is able to meet.

A Level 3 GEDA (bronze standard) emergency department must incorporate many of these best practices, along with providing interdisciplinary geriatric education, and having geriatric appropriate equipment and supplies available.

“Led by a remarkable team of interdisciplinary leaders, including Eric Leroux, MD, and Tasha Anderson, RN, Eisenhower Medical Center’s accreditation signals to the public that institution is focused on the highest standards of care for your communities’ older adults,” says ACEP’s Sandy Schneider, MD, FACEP, and Kevin Biese, MD, MAT, FACEP.

About Eisenhower Health
Eisenhower Health is a not-for-profit, comprehensive health care institution that includes the 437-bed Eisenhower Hospital, the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center at Eisenhower and the Annenberg Center for Health Sciences at Eisenhower. Eisenhower is renowned for its Centers of Excellence in Orthopedics, Cardiovascular, Neuroscience and Oncology. Situated on 130 acres in Rancho Mirage, and with outpatient clinics across the valley, Eisenhower Health has provided a full range of quality medical and educational services for 50 years for residents and visitors to the greater Coachella Valley. Eisenhower has twice earned ANCC Magnet Recognition® for professionalism in nursing and excellence in patient care. The first accredited teaching hospital in the valley, Eisenhower trains physician residents in Internal Medicine, Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine and offers fellowships in Sports Medicine, Addiction Medicine, Pulmonary Disease and Infectious Disease. For more information, visit EisenhowerHealth.org or follow Eisenhower Health on social media.

Eisenhower Health Receives Bronze Level Accreditation for Geriatric Emergency Care