Senior expertise at KP Redwood City's Emergency Department

- Kaiser Permanente Redwood City’s Emergency Department has been nationally-accredited for high-level geriatric care by the American College of Emergency Physicians—one of only nine emergency departments in the United States to receive a Level 2 accreditation.

Redwood City is the first emergency department in Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California region to earn a Level Two accreditation—the second-highest tier possible.

Kaiser Permanente Redwood City earned the accreditation as a result of its use of evidence-based procedures and screening protocols that help determine the most appropriate care for elderly patients coming into the Emergency Department.

“This accreditation is a tribute to our physicians and staff as it recognizes their on-going commitment to provide comprehensive and high-quality emergency care to our patients over age 65,” said Grace Firtch, MD, physician-in-chief at Kaiser Permanente Redwood City Medical Center.

Nearly 30 percent of patients who come to the Redwood City Emergency Department are 65 years of age and older, and with more than 20 percent of the US population estimated to be over the age of 65 by 2030, this type of specialized emergency care for elderly patients will become more important.

To help support this level of care, the Redwood City Emergency Department now has dedicated nurses who specialize in geriatric care and train staff and manage treatment protocols.

“Caring for an 85-year-old is much different than caring for a 35-year-old, and the geriatric specialty nurses help our team have a heightened sense of awareness when treating the elderly,” said Sunil Bhopale, MD, Emergency Medicine and assistant physician-in-chief of the Kaiser Permanente Redwood City Medical Center.

Treatment protocols for elderly patients include assessing their home situation to confirm that they have the necessary care upon discharge, said Shalu Patel, MD, an emergency physician who led the accreditation effort.

“We need to consider many aspects of care for an elderly patient to help ensure a successful recovery,” she said. “For example, we’ll ask if an injured patient has fallen before and how many times? If multiple medications are making the patient dizzy, do I need to adjust the dosages. Will the patient need a cane or walker or rails installed at home?

The accreditation provides a set of best practices that optimizes care for the elderly patient in the Emergency Department, as well as protocols for follow-up upon discharge. For example, Kaiser Permanente has social workers and physical therapists who visit patients at home after discharge to monitor their recovery. They also help connect patients with their primary-care physicians for additional follow-up.