Phelps Hospital Northwell Health announced today that it was recently recognized as an Age-Friendly Health System by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI).
Phelps Hospital, earned the distinguished honor for its ability to render care to patients 65 and older in the areas known as the 4Ms – What Matters Most, Medication, Mentation and Mobility. The title also recognizes Phelps Hospital for its commitment to enhance the already high-quality care provided at the hospital.
“Becoming an Age-Friendly Health System requires an interdisciplinary approach in order to make a real difference in the care we provide,” said Ellen Woods, Program Director of Vitality, a Phelps Hospital program designed for older Westchester Residents. “Our success depends upon the entire Phelps Hospital team embracing the 4Ms model and incorporating continual improvement in how we deliver care. We’re all in this together.”
The number of people over the age of 60 in the Hudson Valley Region is twice as large as the national average. In Westchester County, residents over 60 years old currently represent 20 percent of the total population with an expectation that they will represent 25 percent of the population by 2030. Studies have shown that when older adults are hospitalized, they tend to decompensate due to changes in muscle strength, hydration and plasma volume, skin integrity and the acceleration of bone loss. The 4Ms model, a paradigm shift from the traditional approach in care for older patients, is an evidence-based initiative to limit or eradicate the decompensation that occurs during hospitalization and enhances the quality of care.
