Chair’s Message

I am so grateful to all our section members for our shared success over the last couple years. The work we are collectively doing is setting standards for excellent geriatric emergency care, educating our colleagues across the country in the specific needs and vulnerabilities of older adults, guiding EDs in their implementation of processes designed to meet these needs, and then redefining these standards of excellent care by evaluating their impact. The number of accredited Geriatric EDs continues to grow as does the, admittedly still early stage, evidence of their impact on care and cost. My sincere and profound thanks to all of you for the work you have already done, and the tremendous opportunities we will realize together.

I just came from an event in San Diego where West Health, The County of San Diego, and all the major hospitals of San Diego (excluding pediatric and strictly active military) together pledged to make San Diego County an all Geriatric ED County. Geographic regions are now working together to make their EDs better for older adults. These are exciting times, and we are just getting started.

We welcome members of GEMS to communicate via EngagED, contribute to quarterly newsletters like this one, and join our monthly conference calls held on the third Monday of each month to help shape and fulfill the section’s mission.

Kevin Biese, MD, MAT, FACEP