Temecula Valley Hospital is the first Universal Health Services hospital in the country to achieve accreditation from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) as a Geriatric Emergency Department.
The Geriatric Emergency Department Guidelines state, “the purpose of the Geriatric Emergency Department Guidelines is to provide a standardized set of guidelines that can effectively improve the care of the geriatric population and which is feasible to implement in the ED. These guidelines create a template for staffing, equipment, education, policies and procedures, follow-up care, and performance improvement measures.”
According to the 2010 Census, more than 40 million Americans were over the age of 65, which was “more people than in any previous census.” In addition, “between 2000 and 2010, the population 65 years and over grew at a faster rate than the total U.S. population.” The census data also demonstrated that the population 85 and older is growing at a rate almost three times the general population. The subsequent increased need for healthcare for this burgeoning geriatric population represents an unprecedented and overwhelming challenge to the American healthcare system as a whole and to emergency departments (EDs) specifically.”
“We are very proud to be the first hospital in the UHS portfolio to receive this Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation,” said Darlene Wetton, CEO of Temecula Valley Hospital. “Our community can trust the care that our Emergency Department staff provides to seniors in a time that they need it the most.”
According to ACEP, the GEDA program is the culmination of years of progress in the emergency care of older adults. The voluntary 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 is able to meet. Temecula Valley Hospital has achieved the Level 3 emergency department level and must incorporate many of these best practices, along with providing inter-disciplinary geriatric education and having geriatric appropriate equipment and supplies available.
Jacquelyn Horton, RN, and Director of Emergency Services for Temecula Valley Hospital said, “We have gone above and beyond the criteria to make sure we have a safe and healing environment for our patients who are 65 and older. We have specialized supplies, such as upgraded thicker mattresses throughout our entire Emergency Department, to improve patient healing and outcomes. Our staff cares deeply about making the best experience we can for our patients at Temecula Valley Hospital!”
Photo: Jacquelyn Horton; RN and Director of Emergency Services, and Cori Cole; RN and Manager of Emergency Services, with some of their Emergency Department staff.
About Temecula Valley Hospital – Temecula Valley Hospital brings advanced technology, innovative programs, patient-centered and family sensitive care to area residents. The hospital features 140 private patient rooms; emergency care featuring ER Reserve; advanced cardiac and stroke care; orthopedics; and general and surgical specialties. TVH is nationally recognized for Patient Safety by The Leapfrog Group, with a 2017 Top Hospital Award and patients’ consecutive ‘A’ Grades for Patient Safety in Spring 2019, Fall 2018, Spring 2018, Fall 2017, Spring 2017, and Fall 2016. The hospital also recently received Two 2019 Women’s Choice Award Achievements; One of America’s Best Hospitals for Patient Safety and One of America’s Best Stroke Centers, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus with Target Stroke Elite Plus Quality Achievement Award and Mission: Lifeline Bronze Receiving Achievement Award, The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Certification for Hip and Knee Replacement, 5 Star Medicare Hospital Compare Rating, the American College of Cardiology Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI and Resuscitation Accreditation, the honor of the Inland Empire’s Top Workplaces 2017 and 2018, has been designated an Aetna Institute of Quality Cardiac Care Facility for comprehensive heart and vascular treatment-including Cardiac Medical Intervention, Cardiac Rhythm Programs and Cardiac Surgery. For more information, please visit https://www.temeculavalleyhospital.com/