Wichita now has an emergency department geared toward seniors

Wichita has its first geriatric emergency department.

On Wednesday, Ascension Via Christi announced St. Teresa is the state’s first geriatric emergency department “outside the Kansas City metro area.” In a blog post, Ascension said it received the accreditation last week and it also plans to pursue accreditation for a geriatric emergency department at St. Francis and St. Joseph in the coming months.

“This is a major achievement, one that reflects a significant investment in, and commitment to, meeting the needs of older patients,” Dr. James Vayda, who is helping lead the effort for Ascension, said in the post.

St. Teresa’s geriatric emergency department is staffed by a team with specialized training, and four of the department’s 14 exam rooms have been specially fitted for seniors. The rooms include contrasting colors on the floors and walls to help patients with low vision or depth perception issues. The emergency department also has easier-to-read signs and documents, special mattresses and handrails.

Two-thirds of St. Teresa’s emergency department patients are 65 or older, according to the post, and many of them come in with fall-related injuries.

This story was originally published July 8, 2020 at 1:49 PM.