Adventist Health Tillamook Earns Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation

Shown in photo: Christopher Faller, MD; Bethany Bunker, RN, Emergency Department Clinical Nurse Manager; Heather Thompson, RN, Patient Care Executive; Caroline Tone, RN, Director of Quality & Clinical Information Systems; Tiffanie Hoffmeyer, PhD, MSN Ed, RN, Clinical Educator

Adventist Health Tillamook announces their emergency department has earned Level 3 Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA) from the American College of Emergency Physicians. GEDA is a national program that ensures that older patients receive well-coordinated, quality care at the appropriate level for every emergency department encounter.

Eric Swanson, President of Adventist Health Tillamook shares, “Caring for our aging adults in Tillamook County is a responsibility I am grateful to honor with the highest levels of empathy and love.” He continues, “This new accreditation, in addition to our American Heart Association Gold Stroke Award and the partnership we have with the Oregon Health & Science University stroke team to provide timely stroke care, underlines our long and invested commitment to our local community and visitors.”

Sandy Schneider, MD, FACEP, and Senior Vice President, Clinical Affairs of American College of Emergency Physicians states, “Led by a remarkable team of interdisciplinary leaders including Christopher Faller, MD; Stacie Matthews, RN; Bethany Bunker, RN; and colleagues, Adventist Health Tillamook’s accreditation signals to the public that their institution is focused on the highest standards of care for their communities’ older adults.” GEDA-accredited emergency departments must meet rigorous standards, including having geriatric-focused education and interdisciplinary staffing, providing standardized approaches to care that address common geriatric issues, and ensuring optimal transitions of care from the emergency department to other settings. The need for GEDA-accredited emergency departments is growing as the population ages. According to the United States Census, the proportion of the United States overall population of over 65 years of age is projected to nearly double in the coming decades with a proportionate level of increase in emergency department visits.

For more information, please visit American College of Emergency Physicians.