CHI Memorial Center for Healthy Aging Receives ‘Age-Friendly Health System - Committed to Care Excellence’ Recognition

CHI Memorial Center for Healthy Aging has achieved special recognition as an Age-Friendly Health System — Committed to Care Excellence in its ongoing efforts to ensure age-friendly care for all older adults.  The clinic, which specializes in geriatric medicine, collected data over a three month period about the number of older adults who received a set of evidence-based elements of high-quality care, known as the 4Ms: What Matters, Medication, Mentation (Mind), and Mobility.  

“We have always been committed to care excellence and are humbled to have achieved this recognition,” said Alycia Cleinman, MD, geriatrician, CHI Memorial Center for Healthy Aging.  “The Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative continues to be an important part of our overarching vision to provide every older adult with the best care possible.”

In 2020, about one in six people in the United States was age 65 and over, according to the US Census Bureau.  By 2030, the agency predicts one in every five Americans will be 65 years of age or older.

“I want to express my gratitude to the team at CHI Memorial Center for Healthy Aging for your dedication to age-friendly care,” said Leslie Pelton, MPA, vice president, Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI).  “Because of your efforts, more older adults are receiving safe, high-quality care that is based on what matters most to them as individuals — their specific goals and preferences. And, we can learn from the work you are doing to help inform others across the globe. Thank you for making this happen.”

Age-Friendly Health Systems is an initiative of The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), in partnership with the American Hospital Association (AHA) and the Catholic Health  Association of the US (CHA). For more information, visit ihi.org/agefriendly.

In addition to CHI Memorial Center for Healthy Aging’s Age-Friendly Health System — Committed to Care Excellence recognition, CHI Memorial Hospital Chattanooga is recognized as an Age-Friendly Health System Participant and is working toward the Committed to Care Excellence recognition.  CHI Memorial Hospital Chattanooga also received Geriatric Surgery Verification (GSV) from the American College of Surgeons, which has 32 surgical standards designed to improve surgical care and outcomes for older adults, and earned the American College of Emergency Physicians’ (ACEP) Geriatric Emergency Department Level 3 Accreditation (GEDA).  This program is part of an effort to improve and standardize emergency care for older patients. CHI Memorial is the first hospital in the Chattanooga area to earn GEDA and is one of only five hospitals in Tennessee with the designation.