AdventHealth North Pinellas Receives Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation

May 13, 2024 — TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - AdventHealth North Pinellas is showing its dedication to seniors in our community, through a new accreditation from the American College of Emergency Physicians. AdventHealth North Pinellas has earned the bronze standard, Level 3 Geriatric Emergency Department (GEDA) accreditation and is now one of only about 100 hospitals in the country that are GEDA-certified.

Seniors who visit GEDA-certified emergency departments are assured that the facilities have the expertise to provide optimal care. It means, doctors have specific training in geriatric emergency medicine and accredited Emergency Departments have access to mobility aids, like canes, and four-point walkers. These ERs have specific care processes, policies, guidelines and procedures for geriatric care. There is also a physical environment aspect that includes patients having 24/7 access to food and drink.

"Ensuring the highest standard of care is our commitment to every patient, every time,” said AdventHealth North Pinellas CEO, Ryan Quattlebaum. “This accreditation ensures that members of our community who are 55 and older know that they will receive the safest and highest-quality emergency care.”

Approximately 60 percent of Medicare patients in the U.S. that are admitted to the hospital, arrive through the emergency department, according to 2013 RAND research. The Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation shows AdventHealth North Pinellas is dedicated to creating the best possible medical outcomes for all patients who walk through our emergency department doors.