Jesse Brown VA Medical Center Achieves Accreditation as a Geriatric Emergency Department

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This accreditation establishes Jesse Brown VAMC as a leader in the community, focusing on the highest standards of care for older Veterans. Jesse Brown VAMC is the only VA Medical Center in the state of Illinois that is an accredited Geriatric Emergency Department.

As populations around the world are living longer than ever, older adults are visiting emergency departments at comparatively higher rates than non-seniors. Many older adults have multiple chronic conditions and suffer from complex social and physical challenges. Seniors make contact with the health care system at many points – perhaps none as frequently or as importantly as the Emergency Department. Older people in the Emergency Department have needs, dispositions, and outcomes that are quite specific to them.

“It is paramount that Jesse Brown VAMC delivers the best care to all Veterans who come here, including older patients,” said Medical Center Director, Rick Ament. “Senior Veterans who visit our Emergency Department can be assured Jesse Brown VAMC has the expertise, equipment, and staff in place to provide excellent care.”

In order to receive accreditation, Geriatric Emergency Departments demonstrate various best practices, such as:

• Ensuring geriatric-focused education and interdisciplinary staffing.
• Providing standardized approaches to care that address common geriatric issues.
• Ensuring optimal transitions of care from the Emergency Department to other settings (inpatient, home, community-based care, rehabilitation, long-term care).
• Promoting geriatric-focused quality improvement and enhancements of the physical environment and supplies.

For more information on the accreditation process, visit: https://www.acep.org/geda/