Syracuse VA Medical Center Emergency Department Recognized as a Level 2 Geriatric Emergency Department by the American College of Emergency Physicians

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This accreditation program is designed to recognize those emergency departments that provide excellent care for older adults. This accomplishment makes Syracuse one of only five VA facilities and one of only 42 hospitals nationwide to achieve Level two or Level one certification. 

“This is yet another affirmation of our commitment to ensuring that, from the moment a Veteran reaches our facility, they are truly being provided with the highest standards of the Geriatric Continuum of Care.  By identifying these Veterans at an early stage, we can affect their lives and potentially reduce subsequent hospital admissions and help to ensure optimal transitions and improved and sustained quality of life,” said Syracuse VA Medical Center Director Dr. Frank Pearson.  

“Today’s growing geriatric population makes it imperative that we adapt to their needs.  If we can immediately identify and put action plans in place for our older and high-risk population of Veterans, we are going to be more successful minimizing their risks for worsening outcomes.  We are extremely proud of this designation,” he continued.

 

The voluntary ACEP 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 can meet. A Level 2

emergency department must incorporate many of these best practices, along with

providing inter-disciplinary geriatric care.