Orlando VA Healthcare System Earns Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation

This national recognition, supported by the Gary and Mary West Health Institute and the John A. Hartford Foundation, honors emergency departments that provide the highest quality of care for older adults.

The GEDA program is designed to improve the care of older adults presenting to emergency departments by ensuring facilities meet specific standards and implement best practices tailored to the unique needs of the aging population.

“This accreditation is a reflection of our commitment to delivering patient-centered, compassionate care for our older Veterans,” said Dr. Ramon Nunez, Emergency Department Chief. “Our team takes great pride in creating an environment where every Veteran, especially our aging population, receives care that is safe, respectful, and responsive to their needs.”

The achievement was made possible through the leadership and collaboration of an interdisciplinary team, including Dr. Carmen I. Bou, Dr. Ramon Nunez, and RN Jila D. Regan, along with colleagues across the Orlando VA Emergency Department.

Earning the bronze standard – Level 3 GEDA accreditation signifies that the Orlando VA’s Emergency Department has demonstrated a commitment to providing excellent care and meeting key geriatric-focused criteria, including staff education, policies, equipment, and quality improvement initiatives designed for older Veterans.

“This recognition highlights our ongoing mission to serve Veterans with excellence,” said Timothy Cooke, Medical Center Director/CEO, Orlando VA Health Care System. “We are proud of our emergency department team for leading the way in advancing geriatric emergency care.”

For more information about the Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation program, visit https://www.acep.org/geda

For more information, please visit: VA Orlando Health Care | Veterans Affairs, subscribe to receive email updates by clicking here, like us on Facebook at: @OVAHCS, follow us on Instagram at: @OVAHCS or on Twitter at: @OVAHCS.

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Established in October 2006, the Orlando VA Healthcare System (VAHCS) was designated a 1a facility (most complex) in 2021, with more than 5,660 employees and an annual budget of $1.5B and serves more than 149,931 Veterans in Central Florida. The Orlando VA Medical Center at Lake Nona provides outpatient, inpatient, and emergency services. Lake Nona’s 65-acre medical campus encompasses 159 acute inpatient beds, providing complex Medical/Surgical/Mental Health specialty care, advanced diagnostic services, and a large multispecialty outpatient clinic, as well as a 120-bed Community Living Center, two Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs/Domiciliaries (60-beds located at the Lake Nona Campus and 56 beds at the Lake Baldwin Campus). Outpatient services are provided at a Health Care Center in Viera, a Multispecialty Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Daytona Beach, and five Community-Based Outpatient Clinics located in Clermont, Lake Baldwin, Kissimmee, Deltona, Palm Bay and Tavares.