Jefferson Health’s Cherry Hill, Washington Township and Stratford hospitals have received the Age-Friendly Health System designation by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI).
The age-friendly program includes two levels: the participant level and the committed-to-care excellence level. As of December, there were 28 hospitals and nursing homes in New Jersey with the designation. Nationally, the number is 2,687.
At the participant level are 87 hospitals and nursing homes in the state, including the three Jefferson hospitals that recently received the designation. Virtua Primary Care in Cherry Hill is the only other hospital in the area at the participant level. Nationally, there are 5,560 facilities at the same level.
Jefferson began as participant member in October 2025 and then submitted its three months worth of data in December.
In order to earn the participant designation, a health-care organization needs to have a plan to implement the IHI’s four Ms: Matters, Medication, Mind and Mobility. To meet the second level, a health-care organization needs to have implemented the four Ms with older adults for at least three months.
David May, Chief Clinical Officer for Jefferson Health East said that the hospitals works with elderly patients, who make up around 50% of outpatients in hospitals, to find out which areas they need to work on.
That includes things like kneeling down to work in their garden or riding a bike with their grandkids.
May said there was an additional administrative burden to implementing the additional reporting that the IHI provides, but that it didn’t hurt their operations.
Aaron Chang, president of Jefferson Health East, said the hospital system is proud of the new distinction.
“Jefferson Health has always been committed to care excellence and is proud and humbled to have achieved this recognition,” he noted. “The Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative continues to be an important part of our overarching vision to provide every older adult with the best care possible.
“Above all, we aim every day to earn recognition of excellence from the older adults and carers whom we serve.”
Camille Burnett, vice president for health equity with the IHI, explained that older people want good health care.
“We know that older adults and staff alike want equitable, evidence-based quality care centered on what matters most to each individual,” she pointed out. “Together, we can move toward a future in which every older adult, during every care interaction, receives age-friendly care.”
Age-Friendly Health Systems is an initiative of The John A. Hartford Foundation and the IHI, in partnership with the American Hospital Association and the Catholic Health Association of the US.
