UConn John Dempsey Hospital was recently accepted to participate 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 people equitable and age-friendly.
This initiative responds to the reality that a growing proportion of the U.S. population is elderly and has complex health needs that challenge many institutions. This movement builds on a framework of a set of four best practice interventions known as the 4Ms.
- What Mr.Topics: Know and align care with each older adult’s health goals and care preferences, including but not limited to end-of-life care and care across settings.
- Mr.edication: If medication is necessary, use age-friendly medications that do not interfere with what matters, mobility or mentality.
- Mr.entation: Prevent, identify, treat and manage dementia, depression and delirium.
- Mr.obility: Ensuring older adults move around safely every day to maintain their functions and do what matters.
The 4Ms are adapted and implemented through Age-Friendly Health Systems Action Communities, which bring together interdisciplinary health care teams from different settings to share experiences with different implementation approaches and to learn which approaches work best in 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 a decrease in short-term adverse events such as falls, pressure sores and blood clots, as well as a reduction in intensive care days, hospital lengths of stay and hospital stays. hospital 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 improve the quality of life of our elderly patients while fostering a culture of dignity and respect. By preparing today, we can meet tomorrow’s challenges with compassion and excellence,” said Caryl Ryan, vice president of quality and patient care services, CNO, COO, interim vice president of the John Dempsey Hospital patient experience.
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 efforts to achieve recognition as a system health care for seniors. The steering committee is an interdisciplinary team including Ryan, Meehan, Dr. Momen Medhi – hospitalist, Dr. Lavern Wright – geriatric medicine, Arlene Villahermosa Labarda – quality, pharmacy Sylvia Slattery, Chao Huang – informatics, Alicia Watras – case management, Marie Ziello – social work, Christine Zaczynski – rehabilitation, and Christopher Bussiere – regulatory service.
Meehan notes that “the 4Ms represent a shift in how we provide care to older adults, and it is an important factor since 40% of UConn Health patients are over 65 years old. Implementing the 4Ms also positions UConn Health to respond to the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) new Age-Friendly Hospital Measure which will be implemented in 2025.”
The next step for the age-friendly health system is to work toward achieving Level 2 recognition as an exemplary age-friendly health system committed to excellence in care. Meehan and his committee are moving quickly to implement additional interventions to position UConn John Dempsey Hospital at this highest level.