Caring for older adults in the Emergency Department: a Delphi-based national consensus by the Academy of Emergency Medicine and Care and the Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics

Ferrara, M. C.; Cucini, E.; Marelli, M.; Zambon, A.; Ungar, A.; Ghiadoni, L.; Cherubini, A.; Santoro, M. C.; Marengoni, A.; Paolillo, C.; Casagranda, I.; Bellelli, G.; Virdis, A.; Casanova, A.; Sciacqua, A.; Corsonello, A.; Maggio, M.; Benvenuti, E.; Desideri, G.; Landi, F.; Mussi, C.; Mandas, A.; Volpato, S.; Bo, M.; Orlandini, L.; Morello, F.; Paternosto, D.; Groff, P.; Cianci, V.; Pinnaparpaglia, P.; Numeroso, F.; Arboscello, E.; Magazzini, S.; Franceschi, F.; Giostra, F.; Farina, G.; Malalan, F.; Rosada, M.; Vignola, P.; Contro, E.

doi:10.1007/s41999-026-01462-6

Aim: To establish a national expert consensus on priorities and strategies to enhance geriatric emergency care in Italy. Findings: Consensus was reached on 37 of 50 items (74%), with key agreement on clinical, organizational and environmental adaptations. Divergence persisted concerning triage models, the mode of geriatrician involvement in the ED (on-site vs on-call), and staff perceptions on the appropriateness of ED use by older adults. Message: This inter-specialty consensus defines priorities for geriatric emergency care in Italy, offering a nationally grounded framework to guide the development of geriatric-oriented ED pathways and policies.

Caring for older adults in the Emergency Department: a Delphi-based national consensus by the Academy of Emergency Medicine and Care and the Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics / Ferrara M.C., Cucini E., Marelli M., Zambon A., Ungar A., Ghiadoni L., Cherubini A., Santoro M.C., Marengoni A., Paolillo C., Casagranda I., Bellelli G., Virdis A., Casanova A., Sciacqua A., Corsonello A., Maggio M., Benvenuti E., Desideri G., Landi F., et al.. - In: EUROPEAN GERIATRIC MEDICINE. - ISSN 1878-7649. - ELETTRONICO. - 17:(2026), pp. 1991-2001. [10.1007/s41999-026-01462-6]