Owensboro Health is joining a groundbreaking national initiative spearheaded by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and focused on transforming care for senior citizens.
According to a release from OH, the “Age-Friendly System-Wide Spread Collaborative” brings together 30 health systems from across the United States with a common goal: “to broadly implement and expedite the adoption of evidence-based care practices and the highest quality for our older adult population.”
“This initiative marks an important chapter in the Age-Friendly Health Systems movement, renowned for advocating the 4Ms framework of care – focusing on What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility,” the release says. “Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, which previously distinguished itself in 2021 by receiving the Committed to Care Excellence designation through its steadfast application of the 4Ms, is ready to elevate its commitment even further.”
Over the next 18 months, Owensboro Health will spearhead innovative efforts to integrate the 4Ms into every aspect of care across its comprehensive network.
According to the release, as part of this commitment, Owensboro Health pledges to:
- Ensure consistency of the 4Ms across existing facilities with age-friendly designation, including Owensboro Health Regional Hospital and Family Medicine – Breckenridge.
- Expand the use of the 4Ms to their:
- Two additional hospital locations
- Two Long-term Care Units
- Fifteen Primary Care Clinics
- Five Urgent Care facilities
- Collaborate closely with EPIC documentation specialists to integrate the 4Ms framework, guaranteeing that this approach to care is reflected in the treatment of every older adult served.
“Leading the way in patient care means relentlessly seeking innovative and validated methods to deliver safe, equitable, and effective care to all our patients,” said Mark Marsh, President and CEO of Owensboro Health. “Through our engagement in the Age-Friendly Systems-Wide Spread Collaborative, we’re not just enhancing our commitment; we’re equipping ourselves with the essential tools to ensure every older adult receives exemplary care at every point of interaction within our system.”
Leslie Pelton, MPA, Vice President of IHI, lauded Owensboro Health’s proactive stance
“We’re deeply moved by Owensboro Health’s dedication to the equitable provision of age-friendly care across their vast network of facilities,” she said. “This initiative is ambitious and reflects the growing imperative of preparing our health systems and workforce to meet the unique needs of the burgeoning older adult population with excellence.”
Since its inception in 2018, the Age-Friendly Health Systems movement has garnered recognition, accrediting 3,907 care settings and benefiting over 3.29 million seniors with care practices that resonate with their personal values and needs. This initiative stands as a collaborative effort between The John A. Hartford Foundation and IHI, in partnership with the American Hospital Association (AHA) and the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA).
