Collaboration Between the Government and Healthcare Professional Organizations for the Implementation of Geriatric Emergency Departments in Taiwan.

Background: Enhancing geriatric emergency care is important for the global aging society; however, the current state of collaboration between the government and healthcare professional organizations and its effect on this issue remain unclear. Therefore, this study was conducted for clarification. Methods: The Taiwan Health Promotion Administration and the Taiwan Society of Emergency Medicine (TSEM) cooperated to lead 13 emergency departments (EDs) in implementing geriatric EDs based on the model of acute care for elders between January 1, 2021 and November 30, 2021. Experts from the Taiwan Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics and the Taiwan Association of Critical Care Nurses were also invited to set up a Taiwan Geriatric Emergency Department Guide (TGED) and individual goals for each ED. Education, benchmarking, regular joint and individual meetings, communication, and discussion were then performed via communication software, and intensive follow-up was conducted using a monthly checklist. Results: Despite the impact of COVID-19, 10 of the 13 EDs accomplished the overall goals (76.9%). According to the TGED, the achievement rates for the seven domains were as follows: interdisciplinary team (100%), education (92.3%), equipment and supplies (100%), environment (92.3%), care protocol (100%), quality indicator (100%), and monitor indicator (92.3%). A practice guide and an education guide for the subsequent promotion of geriatric EDs were also established based on the experiences and results from the 13 EDs. Conclusions: A new model for collaboration between the government and healthcare professional organizations was successfully implemented in Taiwan and thus could serve as an important reference for enhancing geriatric emergency care in the future.