Beaufort Memorial Hospital Creates Geriatric-Friendly Emergency Department to Improve Care for Older Adults

To better serve the growing number of older adults needing emergent medical care, Beaufort Memorial Hospital (BMH) has transformed its Pratt Emergency Center into a geriatric-friendly ER.

BMH joins a select group of hospitals in the country that have committed to following geriatric emergency department guidelines created by the American College of Emergency Physicians, The American Geriatrics Society, Emergency Nurses Association and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

According to census data, the number of people 65 or older in the United States increased at a faster rate than the total population between 2000 and 2010. What’s more, the 85 and older population is growing at a rate almost three times the general population.

“In our ER, 20 percent of the people we serve are 65 or older,” said BMH Emergency Department Assistant Director Ashley Hildreth. “And that number is continuing to grow across the country.”

In a geriatric ED, emergency care is tailored to meet the specific needs of older adults in an effort to improve their healthcare outcomes and reduce unnecessary hospitalizations and readmissions. The guidelines include clinical protocols and care coordination designed to help providers quickly and efficiently assess, triage and treat older patients.

“All of our nurses and physicians have received special training on symptoms and conditions unique to geriatric patients,” Hildreth said. “Our interdisciplinary geriatric team also includes pharmacists, physical therapists and social workers.”

As part of the ER admission process, BMH has begun using a holistic geriatric screening tool that helps the staff identify a patient’s needs to be able to provide appropriate referrals to local resources. Along with safety and medical issues, they also look for cases of suspected abuse and financial fraud.

Older adults are often frail, have trouble reading small print and experience sensitivities to light, heat and sound. They also may suffer from delirium or dementia. As part of its transformation to become a geriatric-friendly facility, BMH took a number of steps to accommodate their special needs.

Font The size of signs and discharge instructions have been increased, making it easier for them to read. To reduce injuries from falls, the ER is equipped with soft, non-skid, nonglare floors. The hospital also invested in additional walkers, fluid and blanket warmers and pressure-reducing gurney mattresses that prevent bed sores.

“An older person’s skin can begin to break down in just an hour,” Hildreth said.

Beaufort Memorial began working on their geriatric-friendly designation more than a year ago.

“As an ever-increasing access point for medical care, the emergency room is uniquely positioned to help this at-risk population of older patients,” Hildreth said. “We have the opportunity to set the stage for more cost-effective subsequent care that could result in better outcomes.”