Region’s first Senior ER responds to the unique healthcare needs of the senior generation
Inspira leaders and trustees cut the ribbon for the region’s first emergency department tailored to the needs of seniors. (With scissors) Ron Rossi, vice chairman of the Inspira Health Network Board, supported the Senior Emergency Department project with a major gift
VINELAND, NJ (October 3, 2017) – Inspira Health Network, a leader in patient safety, clinical excellence and service, today announced the opening of its Senior Emergency Department at Inspira Medical Center Vineland. This department will meet the needs of a growing elderly patient population, with senior citizens typically accounting for 15 to 20 percent of emergency department visits. Only the second of its kind in New Jersey and the first in the Delaware Valley, the Senior Emergency Department will tailor care specifically for patients in their senior years.
The $6 million expansion project began in 2016 and spans 7,000 square feet. Accessible through a separate entrance and lobby, the Senior Emergency Department houses 11 patient bays. This investment creates a welcoming, safe and quiet atmosphere for seniors with low-glare lighting, sound-proofing measures, soft flooring, larger rooms and a dedicated waiting room for family members. Patients will be treated by a team of physicians, nurses and healthcare professionals specially trained in senior care.
“We’re excited to be at the forefront of introducing a Senior Emergency Department to the South Jersey region,” said John DiAngelo, president and CEO of Inspira Health Network. “We recognize that seniors respond differently to medicine and treatments than other adults, so it was our goal to implement a specialty program catered to their needs, complete with extensive staff education and interdepartmental collaboration, to deliver the highest quality of care and improve outcomes for both patients and families.”
Philanthropy has been an important part of this expansion project and will be a vital component of future growth. Several members of the community have chosen to honor a loved one by supporting this project through generous philanthropic gifts. Inspira is grateful to all of the donors who have supported Inspira Health Network.
With more than 15 percent of the Inspira service area made up of seniors, the Senior Emergency Department is just one illustration of Inspira’s commitment providing superior care for this important demographic. The Inspira LIFE (Living Independently For Elders) Program, one of only four LIFE programs in New Jersey, provides all-inclusive care at no cost to eligible participants 55 years and older that meet a nursing home level of care. Now in its sixth year, it has enrolled approximately 500 seniors from Cumberland, Salem and Gloucester counties since its inception. The program enables participants to live independent and safe lives in the comfort of their own homes, with close monitoring by a team of healthcare professionals. Inspira LIFE partners with families and caregivers to develop and maintain an individual plan of care for each participant that meets their medical, social and spiritual needs. Since 2015, the program has decreased emergency room visits by 40 percent among its participants and hospital admissions by 45 percent.
Inspira is dedicated to personalizing care to each generational patient population, and most recently announced the establishment of Generational Advisory Committees to directly understand and adapt to their changing needs. The Senior Emergency Department further underscores this commitment to the senior population.
For more information about Inspira Health Network, please visit www.InspiraHealthNetwork.org or call 1-800-INSPIRA. To stay connected on Inspira announcements and work being done in the community, please join the conversation on Facebook.
About Inspira Health Network
Inspira Health Network is a charitable non-profit healthcare organization serving communities across
southern New Jersey. The network, which traces its roots to 1899, comprises three hospitals, a comprehensive cancer center, several multi-specialty health centers and a total of more than 125 access points. These include urgent care; outpatient imaging and rehabilitation; numerous specialty centers, including sleep medicine, cardiac testing, digestive health and wound care; home care and hospice; and more than 30 primary and specialty physician practices in Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem and Camden counties.
Together with its medical staff of more than 1,100 physicians and other care providers, as well as more than 5,700 employees, Inspira Health Network provides evidence-based care to help each patient achieve the best possible outcome. Accredited by DNV Healthcare, the network’s clinical and support staffs are focused on providing quality care in a safe environment.
