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Adventist Health Portland Accredited as a Senior-Friendly Emergency Department

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Adventist Health Portland has achieved Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA) from the American College of Emergency Physicians. This means our emergency care has been recognized for providing the necessary expertise, equipment and staff to provide excellent care to the older members of our community.

“Meeting the needs of our senior community members is a top priority,” says Michael Soto, RN, administrative director for critical care. “While we hope they never need emergency care, we want our older neighbors to rest a little easier knowing that quality care is just around the corner, close to where they live.”

As an accredited geriatric emergency department, Adventist Health Portland’s protocol-driven approach to treating geriatric patients allows us to provide superior, tailored care. The GEDA accreditation means our team works together to ensure:

  • We provide standardized approaches to care that address common geriatric issues.
  • We ensure optimal transitions of care from the emergency room to other settings (inpatient units, home, rehabilitation centers, etc.).
  • We work together to achieve geriatric-focused quality improvements.

Research shows that older adults visit the ER at high rates and often arrive with multiple chronic conditions. Seniors who visit hospitals accredited by the American College of Emergency Physicians can know that they have enhanced staffing, education, and geriatric-focused policies and protocols to provide appropriate care and to help get older patients back into their daily lives after an emergency occurs.

“We’re excited that our dedication to serving these important members of our community has been recognized, and we look forward to many more years of building the best geriatric emergency department,” says Soto.