Springdale hospital’s geriatric designation first in Arkansas

Northwest Medical Center-Springdale’s Emergency Department (ED) has achieved Level I accreditation from the American College of Emergency Physicians’ (ACEP) Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation (GEDA) program. The hospital is the first in Arkansas to achieve the quality milestone, and the 12th in the nation to earn Level I gold status.

The ACEP launched the GEDA program to recognize emergency departments that provide excellent care for older adults. The program is part of an effort to improve and standardize emergency care for the nation’s older patients, building on the financial support and foundational work of the Gary and Mary West Health Institute and The John A. Hartford Foundation.

In addition to NMC-Springdale’s ED staff and physicians, the geriatric service initiative included involvement from numerous other departments such as pharmacy, respiratory care, laboratory, physical therapists and case management.

“Our team does an outstanding job every day caring for people of all ages who are experiencing medical emergencies. After listening to the community, we saw an opportunity to raise the standard of care for geriatric patients to address their specific needs,” said NMC-Springdale CEO Hans Driessnack. “This unique accreditation is specifically relevant for a significant part of the population we serve. I’m so proud of our team’s work, not for just achieving this unique accreditation and being first in Arkansas to do so, but for being truly passionate about expanding the level of care available.”

NMC-Springdale is an affiliate of Northwest Health, the largest health system in Northwest Arkansas.