Berlin, Md. – Atlantic General Hospital announces it has received designation as a NICHE
organization. The
NICHE designation indicates an organization’s commitment to elder care
excellence.
The NICHE designation signals the dedication to providing patient-centered
care for older adult patients. Through participation in the NICHE program
— a leading elder care nursing program — Atlantic General
Hospital is able to offer evidence-based, interdisciplinary approaches
that promote better outcomes, positive experiences, and improved care
for older adults. This leads to greater satisfaction rates for patients,
their families and staff.
“Atlantic General Hospital has always been committed to providing
quality service to all visitors and members of our community. We are proud
to have earned the NICHE designation and believe it is proof that our
commitment to quality, patient-centered care reaches all patients, especially
the growing elder population,” said Colleen Wareing, vice president
of patient care services at Atlantic General Hospital.
Atlantic General Hospital is incorporating the NICHE principles into the
planning for the redesign of their inpatient care areas, which is being
funded in part through the hospital’s
Campaign for the Future. These efforts include geriatric sensitivity training for staff, an aromatherapy
program to promote rest, access to outdoor spaces for patients and families,
designated spaces that promote earlier and safe mobility, and the addition
of spaces that meet the needs of older adults, including work environments
as more of the hospital’s associates are working past the age of 65.
Several of the NICHE designation recommendations are already in place including
registration kiosks, telemedicine care, the PERKS patient portal, private
rooms for all inpatients, and a provider who specializes in gerontology,
Craig Johnson, PA.
“Atlantic General Hospital shows a tremendous commitment to meet
the most critical challenge of our times - quality care of older adults,”
says Mattia J. Gilmartin, PhD, RN, Acting Executive Director, NICHE. “The
organization’s dedication to drive continuous improvement processes
and enhance care marks them as leaders in the field.”
About Atlantic General Hospital
Atlantic General Hospital has been providing quality health care to the
residents of Worcester, Wicomico, Somerset (Md.) and Sussex (Del.) counties
since May 1993. Built by the commitment and generosity of a dedicated
community, the hospital’s state-of-the-art facility in Berlin, Md.,
combines old-fashioned personal attention with the latest in technology
and services. It provides quality specialty care such as weight loss surgery,
orthopedics, outpatient infusion and chemotherapy for individuals with
cancer or blood/autoimmune disorders, and a comprehensive women’s
diagnostic center. Atlantic General Health System, its network of more
than 40 primary care providers and specialists, care for residents and
visitors throughout the region. For more information about Atlantic General
Hospital, visit
www.atlanticgeneral.org.
About NICHE
NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders) is an international
program designed to help healthcare organizations improve the care of
older adults. The vision of NICHE is for all people 65-and-over to be
given sensitive and exemplary care. The mission of NICHE is to provide
principles and tools to stimulate a change in the culture of healthcare
organizations to achieve patient-centered care for older adults. NICHE,
based at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, consists of over 680 healthcare
organizations in the U.S., Canada, Bermuda, Singapore, and Australia.
For more information visit
www.nicheprogram.org/.