Age-friendly CMS measure implementation: Leveraging geriatric quality programs in an age-friendly health system

The age-friendly approach ensures older adults receive care that optimizes their well-being, particularly through episodes of illness and at end-of-life. Geriatric clinical quality organizations, including NICHE, establish age-friendly standards and provide education and implementation resources to healthcare organizations. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will require organizations participating in the inpatient prospective payment system and the long-term care hospital payment system to submit data about compliance with the Age-Friendly Measure starting in 2025. This month's NICHE column discusses the measure's alignment with quality programs, their resources, and a case example of a health system leveraging these programs.