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Dupont Hospital Receives Geriatric Emergency Accreditation

Dupont Hospital

Dupont Hospital is now one of 14 hospitals nationwide to earn a Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation. 

The American College of Emergency Physicians recognized the hospital for its focus on caring for senior patients.

Dupont Hospital is the first in the state to earn such status. The GEDA Program began earlier this year and Dupont Hospital’s ER is now classified as a bronze level or level three GEDA.

The accreditation process provides specific practices for geriatric care. To earn a level three emergency department the hospital must incorporate a few of the best recommended practices.

Credit The American College of Emergency Physicians
The Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation Program began in 2018.

Chief nursing officer at Dupont Hospital, Kim Fulkerson, explains some of the practices they implement are: interdisciplinary care, discharge care, specialized training for staff and special equipment and protocol.

Fulkerson also says they have case managers that follow-up with patients even after they are discharged.

“They’ll receive a phone call from the emergency room staff, did you pick up your prescription? Remind them, you do have an appointment. When they went home, do they have any other questions or any other needs that we can meet them with?,” said Fulkerson.

The accreditation came as a natural next step for the hospital after being recognized in 2016 as a “Senior Friendly” hospital by the Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders or NICHE, Program.

Dupont has been part of the NICHE designation since 2014.

The program “validates a hospital house-wide commitment to excellence in the care of patients age 65 and older.”

Dupont Hospital PR Supervisor Geoff Thomas, says “Dupont has a reputation for being a hospital where babies are born and it’s an interesting dynamic that the same hospital now is also known for its senior care.”

Fulkerson says based on what criteria the hospital meets results in the level they are assigned and she says they are looking for ways they can improve.

“We are already looking at the next level, the silver level, where we can make some more improvements and additions to change to reach the next level,” said Fulkerson.

The American College of Emergency Physicians, with support from The Gary and Mary West Health Institute and John A. Hartford Foundation, launched the Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation program in 2018.