As we continue to expand the reach and important work of geriatric emergency departments, it is essential to ensure that the distribution of improved care processes is equitable. Healthcare teams may unintentionally direct more intensive, communication-dependent interventions and care toward some patients over others. Part of addressing this issue is having a wide range of resources at our disposal. Below we outline some of the available literature, learning, and more available in this topic area.
Equitable data collection and analysis
Working toward health equity in the geriatric emergency department requires our research, on which we base best practice, to be free of bias and inclusive of diverse older adults. Researchers in geriatric emergency medicine can focus on collecting and analyzing standardized demographic data, including social determinants of health (SDOH), to better understand the needs and risks of older adults and address health disparities within this population.
Racial Equity Data Road Map
From the official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
The Racial Equity Data Road Map is a tool toward eliminating structural racism. It’s a collection of guiding questions, tools, and resources to assist programs in taking concrete steps to better identify, understand, and act to address racial inequities.
The Health Equity Tracker
From the Satcher Health Leadership Institute and the Morehouse School of Medicine
The Health Equity Tracker project aims to address health disparities in the United States by identifying at-risk populations and highlighting data inequities. For anyone in the United States looking into health equity, this tool can provide useful insights.
REP-EQUITY Toolkit Checklist
Part of a research article published in Nature Medicine called “A toolkit for capturing a representative and equitable sample in health research.”
The toolkit guides representative and equitable inclusion in research and was developed through systematic review and synthesis. The checklist provides a framework for researchers to move towards representative and equitable inclusion in clinical research.
The AHA Disparities Toolkit
A web-based tool for educating and informing staff about the importance of data collection to ultimately improve the quality of care for all populations.
This is a comprehensive, downloadable PDF document for use in all healthcare settings. It includes information and resources for systematically collecting race, ethnicity, and primary language data from patients, and why this is important.
Policy and Program Equity
In all healthcare settings, it’s essential to assess policies, programs, and operations to identify and address disparities affecting all patients. In the geriatric emergency department, we explore these issues as they pertain to older adults, with the aim of improving access, quality, and outcomes for aging individuals visiting emergency departments. The resources below, while not all emergency-specific, help inform this assessment.
ACO REACH
From CMS.gov
The ACO Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health (ACO REACH) Model offers innovative tools and resources that enable healthcare providers to collaborate within an accountable care organization (ACO) to enhance care quality for individuals with Traditional Medicare.
Ageism: Uncovering the Invisible “-ism”
From AGS: Geriatrics Care Online
Join Drs. Timothy Farrell and Joseph Nnodim in a moderated discussion with Dr. Annie Medina-Walpole, exploring the pervasive issue of ageism. This video examines the impact of ageism on individuals and societies, with a particular focus on its implications within the healthcare system. Discover how this invisible “-ism” affects quality of care and patient outcomes and gain a deeper understanding of the need for awareness and action against this often-overlooked bias.
Intersection of Structural Racism and Ageism
From AGS: Geriatrics Care Online
In April 2024 at the GWEP-CC Virtual Meeting, Timothy Farrell, MD, AGSF, and Ramona Rhodes, MD, MPH, MSCS, AGSF, discussed the AGS Intersection of Structural Racism and Ageism (ISR&A) Initiative and AGS’s continued action to achieve equity in health care for older adults and their caregivers.
AHA Accelerating Health Equity Conference 2025
From American Hospital Association
The Accelerating Health Equity Conference brings together community health, population health and health equity leaders for inspiring conversations about combatting health inequities, strategizing about best practices and spotlighting the work hospitals, health systems and community organizations throughout the country are doing
16th Annual Katz Policy Lecture: Diversity in Aging
From Benjamin Rose
The lecture brings together advocates to discuss possible policy solutions for key challenges related to aging.
Building Provider and Organizational Capacity
In order to be successful in promoting health equity at the ground-level in any emergency department, departments and staff needs to be supported from the top down. In the geriatric emergency department, this means getting quality improvement process buy-in at the c-suite and board level, and following through with implementation and ongoing tracking. The resources here provide frameworks for generating organizational change.
Elder Mistreatment Emergency Department Toolkit
Developed by the National Collaboratory to Accress Elder Mistreatment
A full toolkit for implementing a quality improvement process for identifying and addressing elder mistreatment in the emergency department. Hospitals that download the toolkit will receive support from the Educational Development Center (EDC) to customize the tool to their needs. Easy-to-use resources to help Emergency Department staff identify and address mistreatment in older adults.
AGS Cultural Navigator
From AGS: Geriatrics Care Online
The AGS Cultural Navigator provides clinicians with relevant information regarding the beliefs, traditions, and customs that would apply to clinical encounters with an older adult from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
How Emergency Departments Can Leverage Health and Social Services at Home to Support Care Transitions for Older Patients
JGEM Article
When hospital admission is unsuitable and home discharge feels unsafe, coordinating home health and social services from the ED offers a vital alternative, reducing unnecessary admissions and enhancing patient care
Emergency Department Care Transition Programs—Value-Based Care Interventions That Need System-Level Support
JAMA Network
The article underscores the importance of improving post-ED care transitions to reduce unnecessary revisits, especially for disadvantaged patients. Integrating EDs into value-based care models with strong support and accountability can connect patients to primary and preventive care, promoting equity and enhancing overall healthcare quality.
ACEP: Emergency Department Boarding and Crowding
From ACEP
ACEP leaders are actively engaged in discussions and efforts with decision-makers and stakeholders to address and find solutions to this growing boarding crisis, which significantly impacts emergency physicians.
Language, Literacy, and Cultural Accessibility
Emergency departments see individuals with diverse cultural and economic backgrounds. English is often not the first language, and health literacy may be low. Emergency departments can enhance language access, health literacy, and culturally tailored services to ensure older adults have equitable access to healthcare services, improving their overall care experience and outcomes. The resources below help support this.
Identifying and Reaching Family Caregivers: Innovative State Strategies Webinar
From Centre for Health Care Strategies
This webinar, made possible by The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, highlighted innovative state strategies to identify and reach more family caregivers.
Identifying and Reaching Family Caregivers: Innovative State Strategies Webinar
From the John A. Hartford Foundation
The article examines the challenges of aging in place for older adults in rural areas, where limited transportation, connectivity, and gathering spaces contribute to social isolation and related health risks. However, rural communities often have strong social bonds that help reduce loneliness. Carrie Henning-Smith discussed recent efforts to support aging in place, including programs like Project REACH in rural Minnesota, where community members select health issues to address, highlighting initiatives aimed at helping rural older adults stay connected and age well in their communities.
AFPHS Training November 2024: National American Indian Heritage Month
From AFPHS
November is National American Indian Heritage Month and the AFPHS training will focus on how public health can partner with Tribal communities. The Washington State Department of Health worked with the Northwest Washington Indian Health Board to collect data on the needs of older adults in Tribal communities. The process for steps and process for this collaboration will be highlighted.
UCLA Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program Webinar Series: Better Caregiving for All
From the John A. Hartford Foundation
The UCLA Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care (ADC) Program has introduced a monthly webinar series called “Better Caregiving for All” to address the unique needs of caregivers from diverse and often underrepresented communities. Each live, virtual session (also available for on-demand viewing) features a local expert and caregivers sharing knowledge specific to a particular population.
National Center to Reframe Aging: Featured Reframing Aging Resources
From the John A. Hartford Foundation
The Reframing Aging movement is a long-term social change endeavor designed to improve the public’s understanding of what aging means and the many ways that older people contribute to our society. This greater understanding will counter ageism and guide our nation’s approach to ensuring supportive policies and programs for us all as we move through the life course.
Expanding Accessibility to Health Services
Work to ensure that healthcare services and coverage are accessible to older adults by gathering feedback and tailoring programs to meet their diverse needs effectively. As telehealth coverage expands, and technology becomes more a part of our work, some older adults may have a difficult time adapting.
A Practical Guide To Telehealth: Implementing Telehealth in Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Settings (PALTC)
West Health brought together experts to create this first-of-its-kind telehealth implementation manual for post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) settings.
In the following pages, you will find the information you need to successfully implement a telehealth program, including advice from experts. This practical guide covers a range of topics in detail to help you understand the specifics of the technology’s use, the broader landscape of telehealth, and how you can tailor these innovations to your organization’s requirements. From needs and readiness assessments to reimbursement models and performance monitoring, we have created a comprehensive guide for effective telehealth program implementation for PALTC.
Supporting Patients & Care Partners Through Health Information Technology
From OpenNotes, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, and the Coalition for Care Partners
This free webinar will highlight practical strategies used to promote shared access to health information, identify key resources and new tools for care partners, and discuss specialized strategies for assisting care partners of patients with dementia.
Moving Forward Nursing Home Quality Coalition Video: Goals, Preferences and Priorities – What Matters Most to Residents
From the John A. Hartford Foundation
The Moving Forward Nursing Home Quality Coalition, in partnership with A.G. Rhodes, Kansas State University, Dash Media, and JAHF, has produced a short video titled, “The Foundation of Our Work: What Matters Most to Residents,” which emphasizes the importance of understanding and prioritizing residents’ personal goals and preferences. Alongside this, the coalition’s guide, piloted by Kansas State University’s Center on Aging in 30 nursing homes, is designed to help nursing homes integrate resident-centered practices, ensuring care is both accessible and meaningful.