Improving Care for Older Adults at Aurora Medical Center Mount Pleasant through Age-Friendly Implementation
In February 2022, Aurora Medical Center-Mount Pleasant (AMCMP) began operations and immediately started integrating the 4Ms framework (What Matters, Medications, Mobility, and Mentation) into its nursing culture. By May 2022, AMCMP achieved Level 1 Age-Friendly Recognition from the Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and progressed to Level 2 Age-Friendly Committed to Care Excellence Recognition by November 2022.
To address gaps in the assessment of the 4Ms, AMCMP developed a low-fidelity simulation, "Take a Walk in Their Shoes," implemented in August 2023. This simulation demonstrated significant improvements in staff knowledge, confidence, awareness, and appreciation of the 4Ms framework. Compliance with assessing all 4Ms increased from 54% to 91.5% following the simulation. Additionally, the length of stay for patients aged 65 and older steadily declined as nursing staff received further education through this simulation.
The implementation of the Age-Friendly Health Systems at AMCMP revealed several key lessons. Mobility assessments and appropriate interventions now occur within 24 hours of admission, leading to better patient outcomes. Nurses are identifying and addressing delirium risks sooner, and the importance of interprofessional collaboration has been emphasized, recognizing that all disciplines contribute to sustaining an Age-Friendly hospital.
