On Friday, the emergency department of Northwell’s North Shore University Hospital was awarded a Silver Level 2 status by the American College of Emergency Physicians. The department’s upgraded status was given on the account of their more integrated and consistent initiatives and resources for senior patients.
The Manhasset hospital is one of the latest to earn an upgraded status under the Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation, a program designed to award emergency departments based on quality care provided for the elderly.
“We are very proud of the efforts by our North Shore University Hospital emergency department team and leaders to achieve this level of accreditation,” said Dr. David Hirschwerk, vice president and chief medical officer at North Shore University Hospital. “We have an aging community and many have complex medical issues. To have deep sensitivity and preparedness for our seniors from the onset of their hospital stay is important on the quality, safety and experience front.”
Northwell is the largest nonprofit integrated healthcare system in New York, with 21 hospitals across the state.
The North Shore location’s emergency department treats about 90,000 patients a year, with 40% of general patients aged 65 or older. The department previously stood as bronze three with one or more senior-specific initiatives and came via application by the hospital itself, which followed a four-step process including in-person inspections.
The improved status was on the account of the North Shore Hospital adopting numerous “senior-focused improvements,” according to a Northwell press release.
The improvements include 24/7 access to mobility aids, serving hot and easy-to-chew foods, ample visitor and family seating, clocks in each room, preferential assignments to rooms with natural lighting, “busy boxes” for people living with dementia and amplifiers for older adults who are hard of hearing.
This all comes as the elderly population in the U.S. continues to rise with the Baby Boomer generation passing 65. According to a census, the 65-year-old population saw the largest and fastest growth in any decade between 2010 and 2020.
Dr. Payal Sud, associate chair of Emergency Medicine at North Shore and chief of Geriatric Emergency Medicine at Northwell, emphasized the importance of senior care.
“As our population ages, emergency departments face a growing need to adapt our approach, prioritizing what matters most to our older adult patients, their functional independence and social support,” Sud said.
