A driving force behind the initiative is the expanding geriatric population. A 2010 Census Bureau report found that within the “oldest-old population” — those over the age of 85 — the number of seniors between 90 and 94 years old increased the most since 2000.
“More than ever, 80, 90, and even 100-year-olds are undergoing surgery and that trend will only grow. This important partnership between the John A. Hartford Foundation and the American College of Surgeons to develop standards and then verify that hospitals can deliver optimal geriatric surgical care will save lives, improve outcomes and reduce harm for older adults across the country,” Terry Fulmer, PhD, president of the John A. Hartford Foundation, said in a statement.
The partnership aims to produce a framework applicable to all hospitals, regardless of size, location or population served. Here are the four objectives set forth as part of The Geriatric Surgery Verification and Quality Improvement Program.
- Set standards for hospitals related to the needed infrastructure for optimal care (staffing, resources, care processes, etc.).
- Develop patient and provider educational resources.
- Build a peer-review verification program that promotes public assurance and a culture of improvement, similar to the ACS‘s successful cancer, trauma, and bariatric quality programs, which have shown to improve care and save lives.
The project will convene experts and engage a broad set of stakeholders representing patients, families, caregivers, multidisciplinary health providers, industry and payers to meet these objectives.
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