American College of Emergency Physicians: ACEP Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation Program

The American College of Emergency Physicians’ Geriatric Emergency
Department Accreditation (GEDA) program is transforming how
emergency departments care for older adults. Created in response
to the growing number of older patients seeking emergency care
and the unique risks they face, GEDA established the first national
accreditation model dedicated to geriatric emergency care.

GEDA’s success is rooted in the strengths of association leadership.
ACEP brings together emergency physicians, clinical experts, health
systems, researchers, and national partners, using its member
expertise, professional credibility, and organizational infrastructure
to translate evidence and expert consensus into practical, scalable
standards. Physician leaders have been central to defining criteria,
shaping the peer-review process, advancing education, and ensuring
the program reflects the realities of emergency care.

Through a rigorous, tiered framework, GEDA helps emergency
departments implement geriatric-focused protocols, age-friendly
care processes, workforce education, and environments designed to
better meet the needs of older adults. More than 600 emergency
departments across urban, rural, and international settings have
earned accreditation, influencing care for millions of older adults
each year.

GEDA demonstrates the unique power of an association to convene,
standardize, educate, and scale change, turning collective expertise
into measurable improvements in care and a new benchmark for
age-friendly emergency medicine.