American College of Emergency Physicians recognizes with silver accreditation
RANDOLPH, Vt., June 6, 2023—The Emergency Department (ED) at Gifford Medical Center recently achieved silver-standard accreditation from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) in recognition of its excellent care for older adults.
In its announcement, ACEP recognized Gifford as part of its Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA) program, citing Gifford’s “remarkable team of interdisciplinary leaders” and focus “on the highest standards of care for [Gifford] communities’ older adults.”
“We have a highly skilled and compassionate team here at Gifford,” said Chief Medical Officer Joshua White, MD, who also provides care in Gifford’s ED. “This accreditation is a reflection of their depth of experience, dedication to continuously improving, and unwavering commitment to our patients of all ages and with a wide range of needs.”
The voluntary GEDA program, the result of years of progress in emergency care for older adults, provides criteria and goals for clinicians and administrators to target and best practices for geriatric care. Gifford’s silver-standard, or Level 2, accreditation means that the ED incorporates many best practices, provides interdisciplinary geriatric education, and has geriatric-appropriate equipment and supplies. Geriatric ED guidelines recommend a wide range of measures, including more routine screening for vulnerabilities like delirium, dementia, and fall risk, among others.
Gifford’s GEDA Certificate of Accreditation is effective April 3, 2023, until April 3, 2026.
ACEP established the Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation program with support from The Gary and Mary West Health Institute and John A. Hartford Foundation. For more information, visit acep.org/geda.
The Gifford Emergency Department provides 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week emergency care for patients suffering acute illnesses or injuries. Emergency care is provided by experienced physicians and nurses, meeting rigorous standards for national certifications for emergency medicine. For more information, visit giffordhealthcare.org/emergency-department.
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Gifford is a community hospital in Randolph, Vt., with family health centers in Berlin, Bethel, Chelsea, Randolph, and Rochester, and specialty services throughout central Vermont. A Federally Qualified Health Center and a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital in the country, Gifford is a full-service hospital with a 24-hour emergency department and inpatient unit; many surgical services; an adult day program; 49-unit independent living facility, and a nursing home. The hospital’s mission is to improve individual and community health by providing and assuring access to affordable, high-quality health care in Gifford’s service area.
PHOTO: Gifford Chief Medical Officer Joshua White, MD, and Christina Harlow, DNP, FNP-BC, clinical coordinator for the Emergency Department.
