GERIATRIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE in Europe
Emergency Medicine is implemented as a primary specialty in many countries in Europe and all over the world. Current pre-hospital, emergency department, and in-hospital services are typically configured around identifying single problems for direction through the most suitable ‘pathway’. Attention towards the more complex needs of older people having frailty remains low, despite them representing the most vulnerable and most rapidly expanding group of our population. 23 of the world’s 25 “oldest” countries are here in Europe.
Geriatric emergency medicine (GEM) draws on the specialist competences of both parent specialties, with practitioners attentive both to complexity and acuity. The emergence of this new subspecialty is reinforced by recent advances in research, training, and guidelines.
The mission of this EUSEM section is to develop GEM. Crucial to this is the collaboration between members within the EUSEM group and also with the corresponding section of the European Geriatric Medicine Society (EuGMS). Combined, these two groups form the European Taskforce on Geriatric Emergency Medicine (ETGEM). ETGEM currently has three broad working groups for initiatives in education, quality, and research.
To receive updates, please contact the section chairs (links below right) or register for the ETGEM newsletter on www.GeriEMEurope.eu
OBJECTIVES
- To propose guidelines and spread existing guidelines relevant to older people in pre-hospital care and emergency departments
- To develop guidance on educational and service delivery programmes to improve care of older people in emergency departments
- To develop collaboration with other societies active in influencing care of older people in emergency departments, including the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS) and the International Federation for Emergency Medicine
- Collaboration with geriatric emergency medicine chapters of other European and international organisations to propose quality improvement and clinical research studies on older people in the pre-hospital and ED settings
- To consult, deliberate and provide guidance on definitions, scope of practice and terms of reference of geriatric emergency care in emergency departments
- To define the emerging subspecialty of Geriatric Emergency Medicine (GEM) for member European countries
EDUCATION
The principal goal of the section is to implement educational programmes on GEM for clinicians and allied health professionals.
- Workshops on GEM during EUSEM congress
- Joint session during the EUGMS congress
- Representation of GEM in the European EM Curriculum
- Educational media including a podcast series
Quality
The working group will:
- Review and revise guidelines specifically related to the care of older people in pre-hospital and EDs
- Publish a European book on GEM
- Identify quality indicators for GEM
- Collaborate with EM societies from North America and IFEM to bring a global vision on GEM
RESEARCH
The working group will:
- Publish a strategy for European GEM research
- Contribute to the scientific programme at EUSEM and EuGMS conferences
- Collaborate with societies from North America and IFEM to develop the GEM evidence base
