Turning evidence into action using a senior friendly hospital framework and a collaborative network

Area of Science:

• Geriatric medicine
• Healthcare quality improvement
• Health systems research

Background:

• Hospitalized older adults require specialized care.
• Existing care models often lack integration and knowledge sharing.
• The Senior Friendly Hospital Framework and Collaborative Network Model offer potential solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement a unique multi-hospital knowledge-to-practice initiative.
• To improve care for hospitalized older adults in Ontario.
• To link the Collaborative Network Model and Senior Friendly Hospital Framework.

Main Methods:

• A knowledge-to-practice initiative involving 78 Ontario hospitals.
• Utilized the Collaborative Network Model and Senior Friendly Hospital Framework.
• Focused on closing shared skills and knowledge gaps within diverse hospital contexts.

Main Results:

• Successfully built a collaborative network among participating hospitals.
• Increased confidence, knowledge, and skills of network members.
• Enabled members to lead sustainable improvements in their respective settings.

Conclusions:

• The program design effectively reduced redundancy while preserving diversity.
• Achieved specific objectives of network building and capacity enhancement.
• Findings are relevant for process improvement specialists, health system leaders, and hospital administrators.