Logan Hospital has made history as the first Emergency Department (ED) in Queensland to establish a dedicated Geriatric Emergency Medicine Unit (GEMU).
This groundbreaking initiative is designed to enhance emergency care for the growing number of older patients presenting to Logan’s ED.
The GEMU is an innovative approach to bring patients together in existing acute spaces and utilising existing geriatric services at Logan ED, including CAREPACT, GEDI, and CHIP, to ensure a seamless transition between emergency, inpatient, community services to provide improved care.
Alex Allan (pictured) was one of the first patients admitted to the unit on the day of its official opening.
Recent figures reveal elderly patients like Alex make up around 19 percent of admissions to Logan's ED each year.
Geriatric Emergency Medicine Clinical Lead Dr Golam Sarwar said older patients often had unique and complex needs.
“Older patients often require longer hospital stays and are at greater risk of complications such as delirium, functional decline, and hospital-acquired infections," he said.
With the number of older patients presenting the Logan's ED expected to rise significantly in the coming years, Dr Sarwar recognised the need for specialised geriatric care, and together with his team, worked tirelessly to establish this dedicated unit.
"GEMU is setting a new benchmark in specialised, age-appropriate emergency care," he said. "The unit ensures older adults receive tailored, multidisciplinary support from the moment they arrive in the ED."
Dr Sarwar said the launch of GEMU reinforced Logan Hospital’s commitment to equitable access to excellent care, innovation, and workforce development.
“We hope that Logan Hospital will pave the way for other hospitals to follow and ensure that older adults receive the specialised, dignified care they deserve,” he said.