To enhance the clinical care of Tucson’s aging population, Banner – University Medical Center Tucson has earned Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA) from the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Banner – University Medical Center Tucson now is the only emergency department with this accreditation in Southern Arizona. The accreditation ensures older patients will receive well-coordinated, quality care. To date, ACEP has accredited nearly 100 GEDA-certified hospitals nationwide.

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is a national medical society representing emergency medicine. Each day, an estimated 10,000 individuals in the United States turn 65, and older adults are visiting emergency departments with greater frequency. In addition, aging patients in the ED often suffer from multiple chronic conditions, have complex social challenges and take several medications.

Banner – University Medical Center Tucson has earned Level 3 Bronze accreditation by identifying a health-care team of geriatric champions, many of whom are faculty at the University of Arizona Health Sciences. These champions are team members who have earned additional training and expertise in geriatric care. In addition, the hospital is providing readily available equipment needed by elders and is designing a geriatric medication care initiative to enhance the care of older adults.

Led by the UArizona Center on Aging, Banner – University Medical Center Tucson continues to participate in the Age-Friendly Health Systems Initiatives, as recommended by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Specifically, the emergency department already has implemented the “4Ms.”