BRUSH, Colo., Sterling, Colo., and Ogallala, Neb. (April 25, 2022) – Three hospitals in Banner Health’s Western region -- East Morgan County Hospital, Sterling Regional MedCenter and Ogallala Community Hospital -- have been selected as “Age-Friendly Health Systems” by the Institute of Healthcare Improvement.
This distinction is awarded in collaboration with the Institute’s founding partners, the John A. Hartford Foundation, American Hospital Association, and Catholic Health Association of the U.S. The hospitals were selected based on the type of care they provide to the older patient population. Criteria includes:
- Following an essential set of evidence-based practices
- Causing no harm to older patients
- Knowing and aligning care with each older adult’s specific health outcome, goals and care preferences.
“The ‘Age-Friendly’ designation for East Morgan County Hospital, Sterling Regional MedCenter and Ogallala Community Hospital entails providing a reliable set of specific, evidence-based, best practice interventions for all older adults within our facilities,” said Dr. Jeffrey Bacon, Chief Medical Officer, and Divisional Medical Director for Banner Health’s Western region. “With the knowledge that adults over the age of 65 are expected to double over the next 20 years, and that approximately 80% of these older adults will have one or more medical problems, the goal is to enter into a shared health care decision-making process between the patient and their provider.”
This ever-growing movement is designed to promote and improve the health and health care of older patients across the country. The Institute of Healthcare Improvement and its partners applauded Banner Health’s hospitals in the Western region for their dedication to meeting the goals of this movement.
“We’re strongly committed to deliver an essential level of care and the support needs for our older patients,” said Rosemary Coody, Senior Quality Manager at Sterling Regional MedCenter and East Morgan County Hospital. “We’re honored to be recognized for the services we provide that may not normally be seen in other rural communities.”
Dr. Bacon said, “Banner Health has already been well-aligned with this program with quality measures such as medication monitoring, mentation and mobility, as well as what matters most to patients. We are grateful to our hospital teams who have aligned this program to provide essential high-quality care focused on the needs of our older adults.”
Banner Health is one of the largest, secular nonprofit health care systems in the country. In addition to 30 acute-care hospitals, Banner also has an academic division, Banner – University Medicine, and a partnership with one of the world’s leading cancer programs, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center. Banner’s array of services includes a health-insurance division, employed physician groups, outpatient surgery centers, urgent care locations, home care and hospice services, retail pharmacies, stand-alone imaging centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation, behavioral health services, a research division and a nursing registry. To make health care easier, 100% of Banner-employed doctors are available for virtual visits, and Banner operates a free 24/7 nurse line for health questions or concerns. Patients may also reserve spots at Banner Urgent Care locations and can book appointments online with many Banner-employed doctors. Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health also has locations in California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com.
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) is an independent not-for-profit organization based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. For 30 years, IHI has used improvement science to advance and sustain better outcomes in health and health systems across the world. IHI brings awareness of safety and quality to millions, catalyzes learning and the systematic improvement of care, develops solutions to previously intractable challenges, and mobilizes health systems, communities, regions, and nations to reduce harm and deaths. IHI collaborates with a growing community to spark bold, inventive ways to improve the health of individuals and populations. IHI generates optimism, harvests fresh ideas, and supports anyone, anywhere who wants to profoundly change health and health care for the better. Learn more at ihi.org.
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