UConn John Dempsey Hospital was recently accepted for participation in the national Age-Friendly Healthy Systems Movement to improve health care for older adults.
UConn John Dempsey Hospital was recently accepted for participation in a national movement to improve health care for older adults. The Age-Friendly Health Systems Movement, sponsored by The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in partnership with the American Hospital Association and the Catholic Health Association of the United States, is a national collaboration of hospitals and health systems implementing a set of evidence-based interventions to make the care of all older adults equitable and age-friendly.
This initiative addresses the reality that a growing proportion of the US population is elderly and has complex healthcare needs which challenge many institutions. This movement is built upon a framework of a set of four best practice interventions known as the 4Ms.
- What Matters: Knowing and aligning care with each older adult's specific health outcome goals and care preferences, including but not limited to end-of-life care and care across settings.
- Medication: If medications are necessary, using Age-Friendly medications that do not interfere with What Matters, Mobility, or Mentation.
- Mentation: Preventing, identifying, treating, and managing dementia, depression, and delirium.
- Mobility: Ensuring that older adults move safely every day in order to maintain function and do What Matters.
The 4Ms are adapted and implemented through Age-Friendly Health Systems Action Communities which bring interdisciplinary healthcare teams from different institutions together to share their experiences with different implementation approaches and to learn which approaches best work under specific circumstances. All teams strive to implement the 4Ms in emergency, intensive care, medical-surgical and general hospital units, as well as in primary and specialty care outpatient settings. Hospitals that have successfully implemented the 4Ms have documented decreases in short-term adverse outcomes such as falls, pressure ulcers, and blood clots, as well as reduced ICU days, hospital lengths of stay, and readmissions.
"UConn Health is dedicated to building an age-friendly health system that prioritizes the unique needs of older adults. By focusing on evidence-based care, interdisciplinary collaboration, and patient-centered approaches, we aim to enhance the quality of life for our elderly patients while fostering a culture of dignity and respect. Preparing today ensures that we can meet tomorrow's challenges with compassion and excellence," said Caryl Ryan, VP, Quality and Patient Care Services, CNO, COO, Interim VP, Patient Experience of John Dempsey Hospital.
Clinical Nurse Specialist Rachel Meehan, who has been at the forefront of several ongoing UConn Health initiatives to improve geriatric care also led UConn Health's effort to achieve Age-Friendly Health System recognition. The steering committee is an interdisciplinary team including Ryan, Meehan, Dr. Momen Medhi – hospitalist, Dr. Lavern Wright - geriatric medicine, Arlene Villahermosa Labarda - quality, Sylvia Slattery pharmacy, Chao Huang - IT, Alicia Watras - case management, Marie Ziello - social work, Christine Zaczynski - rehab, and Christopher Bussiere - regulatory department.
Meehan notes that the "the 4Ms is a shift in how we provide care to older adults, and this is an important factor as 40% of the patients at UConn Health are over the age of 65. The implementation of the 4Ms also positions UConn Health to meet the new Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Age-Friendly Hospital Measure which will be implemented in 2025".
The next step in the Age-Friendly Health System is to work towards Level 2 recognition as an Exemplar Age-Friendly Health System Committed to Care Excellence. Meehan and her committee are rapidly moving to implement additional interventions to position UConn John Dempsey Hospital at this highest level.
