DESCRIPTION:

Older adults account for more than 40% of inpatient operations and a third of outpatient procedures performed annually in the United States, yet surgical care has historically followed a one-size-fits-all model that overlooks the added complexity — comorbidities, polypharmacy, cognitive vulnerability, and functional decline — that often accompanies aging. The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Geriatric Surgery Verification (GSV) Program, developed with support from the John A. Hartford Foundation, was created to close this gap. It establishes 32 standards of care (30 mandatory, 2 optional) spanning the surgical journey — from preoperative screening and shared decision-making through postoperative delirium prevention and coordinated discharge planning — delivered by an interdisciplinary team of nurses, geriatricians, pharmacists, physical therapists, and social workers.

This session introduces the GSV Program's standards and the growing evidence behind its impact. Verified hospitals report reduced length of stay (one to three days), meaningful decreases in postoperative delirium (in some programs, from 24% to 11%), and substantial cost savings — delirium prevention alone can save over $100,000 per 50 surgical patients — alongside improved patient satisfaction and staff morale. Locally, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore is the only hospital in the Baltimore area to attain national GSV verification, offering a nearby, real-world example and a potential collaboration resource for gerontology professionals.

Attendees will leave understanding what GSV verification means for a hospital and its patients, the evidence behind its adoption, and how gerontology professionals — clinical, care management, or advocacy — can champion similar standards within their own networks.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Describe the purpose and structure of the ACS Geriatric Surgery Verification Program and its 32 standards of care.

2. Summarize the evidence linking GSV implementation to improved outcomes, including reduced length of stay, lower delirium rates, and cost savings.

3. Identify the interdisciplinary roles involved in delivering GSV-standard care.

PRESENTER:

Dr. Dorothy Lornah Were, DNP, MSN, FNP-BC, MBA-PM, BSN, is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and clinical leader in geriatric perioperative care at LifeBridge Health's Sinai Hospital of Baltimore. She serves as Clinical Program Coordinator for Sinai Hospital's American College of Surgeons Geriatric Surgery Verification (GSV) Program — one of only 24 hospitals nationwide, and the first in the Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. region, to earn this distinction — where she leads efforts to screen, optimize, and coordinate care for older adults undergoing surgery. She concurrently serves as Clinical Coordinator for LifeBridge's Aging Surgeon Program, supporting the health and continued competency of the surgical workforce.

 Dr. Were is a passionate advocate for Age-Friendly Health Systems and the 4Ms framework, and speaks regularly on geriatric care innovation and community-based approaches to honoring older adults' voices in their own care."

POLICY FOR CLAIMING CEU CREDIT

Maryland Gerontological Association offers One Category 1 Social Work CEU Credit and One CMC Contact Hour to those that attend a live session and complete the evaluation by the posted deadline. 

To claim your CEU Credit:

Within 48 hours of the posted deadline, CEU certificates will be emailed to participants  who have completed the evaluation.  It is the responsibility of the participant to maintain accurate records of their credit hours.

All participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance