This study looked at the effect of a Geriatric Emergency Medicine Assessment (GEMA) team on ED length of stay (LOS), hospital LOS, and 30-day hospital revisit rate. The GEMA team provides supplementary assessment of geriatric patients who present to the Emergency Department and arranges hospital-based interventions such as occupational therapy or community resources as appropriate. We found that patients who were assessed by the GEMA team and subsequently admitted to the hospital had a 25 h shorter hospital LOS compared to older adult patients who were not assessed by the GEMA team while in the ED. This reduction in hospital LOS provides significant cost savings, even when accounting for the cost of the GEMA program.

 

Dr. Keene obtained her PhD from the University of Michigan and her MD from Wayne State University. She completed Emergency Medicine residency at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, MI, and is currently the Geriatric Emergency Medicine fellow at the same institution. She is a reviewer for the Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation program through ACEP and serves on the AGEM didactics committee. Her practice and research interests revolve around improving the emergency care of older adults, especially the prevention and management of delirium.