The Center for Women’s Health Leads the Way in Age-Friendly Health Care
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement recognized the Center for Women’s Health Primary Care Clinic as an Age-Friendly Health System Committed to Care Excellence. In earning the distinction, the Center for Women’s Health joins a national movement to improve care for older adults.
The initiative aims to meet the demands of the growing population of people 65 and older in the United States. While this population is expected to double in the next 30 years, health systems often fall short of providing older adults tailored care. The Age-Friendly Health System movement is working to change that.
“I'm thrilled to see we have this distinction, as it indicates that we are actively working towards making the Center for Women's Health inclusive for women at all stages in their life,” says Neesha Patel, M.D., a primary care doctor and geriatrician, “It ensures we are providing high quality care for our older adults.”
The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, in partnership with the American Hospital Association and Catholic Health Association of the United States, began the initiative to address the need to deliver better care to older adults across care settings.
As part of the effort, the Center for Women’s Health is implementing an age-friendly care framework, called the 4Ms.
· What Matters: Know and align care with each older adult's specific health outcome goals and care preferences and across settings of care.
· Medication: If medication is necessary, use Age-Friendly medications that do not interfere with What Matters to the older adult, Mobility, or Mentation.
· Mentation: Prevent, identify, treat, and manage dementia, depression and delirium across settings of care.
· Mobility: Ensure that older adults move safely every day.
The Center for Women’s Health joins multiple clinics across OHSU and Hillsboro Medical Center that have earned the distinction.