The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Geriatric Surgery Verification (GSV) Implementation Course is a unique, comprehensive resource available to all hospitals participating in the GSV Program and is intended to guide hospitals through the implementation process as they prepare for verification. The course is unique to the GSV program, not only as a comprehensive resource but also in structure and content. Composed of 10 self-paced modules grouped together by a focused learning objective, the course is intended to guide hospitals step-by-step through the process of implementing the GSV standards. Whether a hospital has applied to the GSV Program at the commitment or verification levels, participants will find valuable resources such as a gap analysis, best practices, and real-time examples to guide standards implementation.
A focused module, Function & Mobility: Identifying High-Risk Patients & Addressing Vulnerabilities, has been provided to serve as a sample of the overall GSV Implementation Course. The structure, content, and available resources in this module are representative of all modules in the GSV Implementation Course.
Adapted from Module 4: Identifying High-Risk Patients & Addressing Vulnerabilities, this abbreviated module addresses components of the following GSV standards:
- GSV standard 5.6—Geriatric Vulnerability Screens
- GSV standard 5.7—Management Plan for Patients with Positive Geriatric Vulnerability Screens
- GSV standard 5.16 —Assessment of Geriatric Vulnerabilities at Discharge
Older adult patients may have a higher burden of underlying medical conditions, have varying levels of functional disability, and are at risk for cognitive impairment. These conditions can worsen as patients age. Identifying vulnerable older adults, and understanding the causes and consequences of their vulnerabilities, will assist in the way teams care for these patients. It is vital that geriatric syndromes are addressed preoperatively to decrease their risk of adverse postoperative outcomes.
At the end of this module, hospitals will have a better understanding of how to successfully screen for impaired function and mobility and create management plans for identified vulnerabilities. If your hospital is ready to improve the quality of geriatric surgical care for patients undergoing inpatient surgery, visit the Implementation Course section of the ACS GSV web page at to learn more.
