Geriatrics Emergency Medicine (GEM)

Meeting the Needs of Older Emergency Department Patients

With the aging population and the demographic shift of older adults in the health care system, emergency departments are increasingly challenged with the complexities of providing care for geriatrics patients. Estimates are that by 2030, one in five Americans will be 65 or older, and while the aging of the U.S. population will impact all areas of health care, emergency departments in particular will be affected.

In response, Monmouth Medical Center has introduced a dedicated Geriatrics Emergency Medicine (GEM) unit to better meet the complexities of providing care to geriatrics patients. Older patients typically have more complex medical conditions, stay longer in emergency departments for more extensive testing and treatment regimens and are more likely to be admitted and to require critical care. By creating a GEM unit, Monmouth Medical Center is helping address these challenges and thereby improve the quality of care for geriatrics patients.