CLEARLAKE, Calif. — An estimated 24% of residents in Lake County are 65 years or older, and that number is expected to grow over the next decade.

Adventist Health Clear Lake has achieved Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation from the American College of Emergency Physicians, or ACEP, a professional organization of emergency medicine physicians in the US.

This accreditation means that the hospital’s emergency services provide the necessary expertise, equipment, and staff to deliver excellent care to older patients.

As an accredited geriatric emergency department, Adventist Health Clear Lake’s protocol-driven approach to treating geriatric patients ensures superior, tailored care.

To achieve accreditation, Adventist Health Clear Lake’s emergency department staff focused on standardizing approaches to care for common geriatric issues; ensuring optimal transitions of care from the emergency department to other settings, including inpatient units, home or rehabilitation and long-term care centers by accomplishing a series of geriatric-focused quality improvements.

“We are very proud of the tremendous work that our team did to receive this accreditation as a Accredidated Geriatric Emergency Department that provides quality care for our communities older adults population,” said Misty Cantrell, patient care executive at Adventist Health Clear Lake. “Following best practices and added measures in mind, our Emergency Department is here to ensure compassionate, specialized care to this population that we are dedicated to supporting.”

Requirements for the Geriatric Emergency Department accreditation begin with demonstrating that the participating emergency department includes both a physician and nurse with specialized geriatric training on staff, meets environmental criteria such as easy patient access to water and mobility aids, and has a geriatric quality improvement program.

Studies show that approximately 60% of Medicare patients admitted to the hospital arrive through the emergency department, and multiple studies also note the vulnerability of older adults after an emergency visit.

Adventist Health Clear Lake leadership said these accreditations continue to raise the bar for care in rural communities across Lake County.