Tulane emergency rooms get senior-friendly makeovers

The greatest generation deserves the greatest emergency care possible. So in response to a growing need for more personalized care for seniors, Tulane Medical Center recently conducted specialized geriatric health training for emergency room staff and renovated its ER to enhance the compassionate setting for its fastest-growing demographic: older adults.

Tulane’s senior-friendly ER is part of an emerging national trend and among only a handful of similar facilities in Louisiana.

“We designed the Senior-Friendly ER to meet the unique needs of our older patients in an environment focused on their comfort and safety,” said Olivia Fleming, director of emergency services at Tulane Health System. “Our physicians and staff are well-equipped to treat not only immediate medical concerns, but also underlying issues that affect patients’ long-term health and wellness.”

“We designed the Senior-Friendly ER to meet the unique needs of our older patients in an environment focused on their comfort and safety.”

Olivia Fleming

Located in the hospital’s emergency department at the corner of Tulane Avenue and LaSalle Street in the heart of downtown New Orleans, the upgraded facility features 20 refurbished exam rooms with softer lighting and larger clocks, as well as non-skid flooring for patient safety. New, thicker mattresses improve patient comfort, and improved hearing and visual aids are now available.

In addition, physicians and nursing staff in the Tulane ER have received – and continue to undergo – specialized training in senior health. All of Tulane’s ER nurses completed a Geriatric Emergency Nursing Education course and achieved certification through the Emergency Nurses Association.

Tulane’s nurses, board certified physicians, as well as an on-staff geriatrician, are all specialty trained to provide 24/7 care to our senior community. State-of-the-art cardiac monitoring is used, and an emphasis is placed on collaboration with patients’ primary care providers.

“We look forward to serving more of our seniors with the world-class, quality, compassionate care they deserve,” said Fleming.