POTSDAM, NY – The three hospitals that make up St. Lawrence Health were among the 44 New York healthcare facilities recently recognized as 2022 Age-Friendly Health Systems by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI).
The Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) made the announcement that includes Canton-Potsdam Hospital, Gouverneur Hospital, and Massena Hospital.
“This achievement is realized through the hard work of St. Lawrence Health Director of Nursing Operations Laura Kiely and her devoted team,” stated St. Lawrence Health and Canton-Potsdam Hospital President Donna McGregor.
Four evidence-based elements are used to determine the status of Age-Friendly Health Systems in caring for older adults. The elements are known as the “4Ms”: What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility. Age-Friendly facilities that implement the 4Ms see improvement in patient experience scores and quality outcomes such as readmissions, emergency department utilization, and length of stay.
HANYS launched the New York State Age-Friendly Action Community in 2020 with support from the New York State Department of Health, The John A. Hartford Foundation and IHI. The Action Community helps participating health systems accelerate the adoption of 4Ms care, using an “all teach, all learn” model.
Participant teams receive group education through monthly webinars and topical coaching calls, and attend a half-day virtual summit. Teams then perform tests of change to identify which approaches work best in their unique care settings. Under the expert guidance of HANYS and their faculty, teams then scale and spread 4Ms care across their facility, transforming the care delivered to older adults.
“It is so important that older adults have the opportunity to meaningfully participate in their own care,” noted HANYS President Bea Grause, RN, JD. “These healthcare providers have fully embraced evidence-based elements of care that have demonstrably improved care for older adults and their loved ones.”
Learn more about St. Lawrence Health.
