Host: Lee Freedman, MD

Guest: William Thomas, MD


Why are conventional emergency departments less than ideal environments for older patients, and how can EDs be acclimated for seniors? Dr. William Thomas, geriatrician and professor of aging studies at the Erickson School at the University of Maryland, describes to host Dr. Lee Freedman the philosophy behind the nation's first ED designed specifically for older patients, at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Springs, Maryland. How do staffing and design changes, as well as new screening methods, help physicians better care for older patients? Is this model cost-effective and efficient enough for other hospitals to emulate?