MedStar Health Earns Accreditation at MedStar Montgomery Medical Center for Elevated Emergency Care Specific to Older Adults

Only 10% of the nation’s emergency departments have achieved the distinction.

OLNEY, Md — MedStar Health has earned Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA) at MedStar Montgomery Medical Center for its commitment to delivering specialized, evidence-based emergency care tailored to the unique needs of older adults. The designation places the hospital among an elite group of emergency departments nationwide; only about ten percent have achieved this distinction.

The hospital earned the bronze, Level 3 accreditation, which requires demonstrating:

• Specialized training for emergency clinicians
• Geriatric-friendly policies and protocols
• Evidence-based care pathways
• Environmental adjustments
• Performance improvement efforts
• Community partnerships

“Each year, our emergency department cares for roughly 30,000 patients of all ages, many of whom are older adults with unique care needs,” said Emily Briton, president of MedStar Montgomery Medical Center and senior vice president of MedStar Health. “This accreditation reinforces our promise to provide compassionate, personalized care that helps seniors feel safe, supported, and understood through evidence-based practices, enhanced coordination, and a team dedicated to delivering the highest quality care.”

GEDA is a nationwide collaborative governed by the American College of Emergency Physicians, with support from the Gary and Mary West Health Institute and the John A. Hartford Foundation. The program includes three levels of recognition, each with specific criteria and goals for emergency clinicians and administrators.

The level of GEDA accreditation achieved is determined by how many of the program’s more than two dozen best practices an emergency department meets. A Level 3 emergency department must incorporate many of these best practices, provide interdisciplinary geriatric education, and maintain geriatric-appropriate equipment and supplies. 

Emergency departments that participate in the GEDA program typically have:

• Lower rates of patient return visits
• Improved patient experiences
• Fewer hospital admissions for older adults
• Decreased length of stay for admitted older patients
• Higher staff morale

The MedStar Montgomery Medical Center team will use feedback from the GEDA program to continue evolving its geriatric patient care as it prepares for reaccreditation in three years.

“Older adults arrive in the emergency department with unique and often complex needs that can’t be met with a one-size-fits-all approach. By elevating our focus on geriatric emergency care, we can identify risks earlier, reduce complications, and deliver the kind of safe, dignified, and coordinated care every senior deserves,” said MedStar Montgomery Medical emergency physician Paul Herman, MD, who championed the accreditation project. “Geriatric emergency care is about understanding the full picture of an older adult’s health. It’s an investment in better outcomes and better lives.”

Visit ACEP.org to learn more about the Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation Program.