Celebrating Ten Years of Improving Health Care for Older Adults
Making Best Geriatric Practice
Standard Practice
Download 2006 Hartford Annual Report pdf
Strategy No. 2: Promoting Work Environment Changes
Keeping the Focus on Geriatrics in Nursing Practice and Health Systems
In all its endeavors, the Hartford Institute seeks partnerships and additional funding to sustain, enhance, and extend the reach of its programs. In the case of the NICHE initiative, a strategic alliance was formed with the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), the nursing branch of the American Hospital Association, which represents vice presidents and directors of nursing of over 5,000 hospitals nationally. The AONE has embraced NICHE and encourages its members interested in geriatrics to become active. AONE also developed a national award for hospital excellence in the care of older adults, which is presented at the organization's annual meeting.Inspired by NICHE, the nurse executives are also working with the Hartford Institute to explore an initiative called the Elder-Friendly Hospitals Project, bringing together nurse leaders from around the country to discuss the concept of redesigning hospitals in ways that are most conducive to quality care for older adult patients. The initiative will create criteria and a system of recognition for hospitals that make a serious and substantial commitment to high quality care of older adults.
NICHE is financially self-sustaining and continues to increase member hospital sites. But greater numbers of hospitals becoming NICHE sites presents a challenge to the Hartford Institute. Today, with over 200 sites (and growing), it is becoming increasingly difficult to hold conferences and provide all of the other support systems within the current structure. "In order to make a significant impact on hospitals in America, we must have the mechanisms in place to enroll many more hospitals," says Dr. Capezuti. To capitalize on NICHE's promise, the Atlantic Philanthropies has pledged $5.35 million, beginning in September, 2007, to greatly expand the NICHE program. Visit the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing Web site: www.hartfordign.org