MIDDLETOWN, NY — Garnet Health Medical Center’s Emergency Department (ED) has been awarded the bronze-standard Level 3 Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA) from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). This program recognizes emergency departments that deliver excellent care for older adults.

Led by a remarkable team of interdisciplinary leaders, including Garnet Health Medical Center’s medical director of emergency medicine, Matthew Meigh, DO, FACOEP, Garnet Health is committed to meeting the needs of the senior population, and this accreditation reflects that commitment.

Garnet Health Medical Center sought accreditation to:

• Improve patient outcomes.
• Provide specialized care for common geriatric problems.
• Ensure optimal transitions of care from the ED to other settings.
• Support geriatric-focused quality improvement.

The GEDA program builds on years of progress in improving emergency care for older adults. It was created after national experts developed guidelines in 2014 to help emergency departments better meet the needs of seniors through things like geriatric-friendly equipment and trained staff, as well as screening for issues like delirium, dementia, and fall risk.

“We’re proud to be recognized for our efforts in providing safe, compassionate and effective emergency care to our community,” said Pamela Murphy, MD, Garnet Health’s chief medical officer. “This accreditation reflects our team’s commitment to our patients, especially our geriatric population, who are most vulnerable.”

The estimated geriatric population in Orange County is nearly 16% according to Sg2 Health Care Intelligence. Garnet Health is proud to join the growing number of emergency departments across the country that are looking to better meet the needs of the senior population.

For more information about the GEDA program, please visit garnethealth.org/services/emergency-care.

About Garnet Health Medical Center 

Garnet Health Medical Center is part of Garnet Health, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Formed by the merger of Arden Hill Hospital and Horton Medical Center, Garnet Health Medical Center moved the two campuses into a new single-site, state-of-the-art facility on Aug. 5, 2011. At the time, it was the first new hospital built in New York state in over 20 years. Today, it boasts seven floors of state-of-the-art technology, provides 383 beds, and employs over 2,400 healthcare professionals. More than 600 doctors have privileges at the hospital and treat thousands of area families, friends and neighbors. In addition to the main hospital, we also provide several outpatient services, including diagnostic imaging and laboratory services. With the opening of our Outpatient Building, many of our outpatient services previously provided at other off-campus locations have relocated into this new, modern building on our main hospital campus in Middletown, New York.