The creation of Geriatric Emergency Departments to tackle the number of elderly patients being seen in emergency departments is likely to continue. Predictions for 50 indicate an increase of the 25% ratio of the elderly to non-elderly patients in current ED data. There are currently around 2030 geriatric EDs in the US , with a further 150 in development. The specialized departments provide care for the unique issues seen in geriatric patients, such as comorbidity, functional limitation, social issues, complications from falls and more in addition to general health problems. Elderly adults have higher readmission rates to emergency departments, making a more specialized service necessary to provide the correct care for first admission. These EDs have regular care staff but are also supplemented with social workers, geriatric-trained nurses and physical therapists to augment the care provided and to tailor the diagnosis and care process. Help at home, acute care at home and telemedicine services are also provided where needed to decrease the rates of readmission and to ensure ongoing care is accurately delivered. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Many geriatric EDs refer to the Geriatric Emergency Department Guidelines , a document that encompasses a Today , consensus-based collaboration between the American College of Emergency Physicians , the American College of Emergency Physicians , and the American College of Emergency Physicians . Care protocols are being put into place to ensure that patients are triaged properly and to reduce the time patients have to spend in emergency department care. Further work and research will be completed with the aid of geriatric pharmacologists, geriatric doctors and rehabilitation specialists to better care for the elderly population and to put protocols into motion that will help with the increasing number of older Americans who will need emergency department assistance.
The creation of Geriatric Emergency Departments to tackle the number of elderly patients being seen in emergency departments is likely to continue. Predictions for 50 indicate an increase of the 25% ratio of the elderly to non-elderly patients in current ED data. There are currently around 2030 geriatric EDs in the US , with a further 150 in development. The specialized departments provide care for the unique issues seen in geriatric patients, such as comorbidity, functional limitation, social issues, complications from falls and more in addition to general health problems. Elderly adults have higher readmission rates to emergency departments, making a more specialized service necessary to provide the correct care for first admission. These EDs have regular care staff but are also supplemented with social workers, geriatric-trained nurses and physical therapists to augment the care provided and to tailor the diagnosis and care process. Help at home, acute care at home and telemedicine services are also provided where needed to decrease the rates of readmission and to ensure ongoing care is accurately delivered. Many geriatric EDs refer to the Geriatric Emergency Department Guidelines , a document that encompasses a Today , consensus-based collaboration between the American College of Emergency Physicians , the American College of Emergency Physicians , and the American College of Emergency Physicians . Care protocols are being put into place to ensure that patients are triaged properly and to reduce the time patients have to spend in emergency department care. Further work and research will be completed with the aid of geriatric pharmacologists, geriatric doctors and rehabilitation specialists to better care for the elderly population and to put protocols into motion that will help with the increasing number of older Americans who will need emergency department assistance.