Acute Care for the Elderly Unit caters to older patient population to ensure high quality care

CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital – City Centre (CSRH-CC) has opened the first inpatient Acute Care for the Elderly (ACE) Unit in South-Central Texas , in partnership with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

The ACE Unit is specially designed to meet the needs and improve health outcomes for adults over age 65.   With special floors, lighting, furniture, and a nursing staff specially trained in the needs of the geriatric patient population, the ACE Unit is a dedicated 10-bed unit at CSRH-CC where these patients can receive the specialized care they need.

“The geriatric population has special needs when they are in the hospital,” said Mike McBride, Vice President/Administrator, CSRH-CC. “These patients are at risk for falls, delirium, dementia, and depression.    The ACE Unit is designed to avoid hospital-related complications in our elderly patients and help them return to their lives.”  McBride added, “The development of the ACE Unit was made possible through the generosity of community donors through the Friends of CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Foundation, which is led by Chairman of the Board Laurie Griffith, with a matching grant of more than $150,000.”

According to Robert Parker, M.D., a geriatrician and Chief of the Division of Geriatrics in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio, who will be working with the CSRH-CC ACE Unit and who has championed the ACE concept for many years, “The ACE Unit will provide hospital care for our vulnerable seniors in a home like environment.  We will now have the staff to help guide our patients and their families through the complex health care system.  We can personalize care to the life values and priorities of each patient.  It has been our dream to have a dedicated ACE Unit for vulnerable seniors and we are truly grateful to CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System for making this dream come true.”

CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System, along with a dedicated team of physicians from the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio , has been working to develop the “evidence-based” ACE Unit since early 2009.  “We designed the ACE program after visiting the very successful, Multi-Hospital program in Wisconsin , led by Michael L. Malone, M.D. and his team,” said Jane Kamstra, RN, MSN, CNOR, Chief Nursing Officer of  CSRH-CC.” 

When admitted to the ACE Unit, each patient receives the following:

· A complete geriatric assessment, including cognitive evaluation, medication review, activities of daily living, and depression screening. 

· Daily interdisciplinary rounds led by Nursing Staff, including Physicians, Pharmacy, Nutrition Services, Physical Therapy, Spiritual Care, and Case Management Departments, who meet to review each patient on the ACE Unit.

· Family-centered care - interdisciplinary teams specially trained in geriatrics and dedicated to the needs of older adults, along with a comprehensive discharge-planning process are key to the success of the ACE Unit.  A continuum of care minimizes problems associated with the transition of care when leaving the Hospital. 

“We are proud to be the first Hospital in San Antonio to develop an ACE Unit,” said Patrick Carrier, President/CEO, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System.  “Our senior patients with acute conditions need to leave our Hospital in the best condition possible, and this Unit will provide the high quality, specialized care they need.  Expanding our senior services is a priority for CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System, and the ACE Unit is just one way we are extending the healing ministry of Jesus Christ to this important part of our community.”

The ACE unit reflects CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System’s continuing commitment to providing access to the highest quality care for which it has been recognized by HealthGrades® as one of America ’s 50 Best Hospitals for two years running and a Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence for seven years in a row.

About CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System:
Founded in 1869 by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa is a Catholic faith-based, non-profit health and wellness ministry dedicated to extending the healing ministry of Jesus Christ and providing the highest quality medical care and services available. As one of the top health care organizations in South Texas, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa has four hospital campuses, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital City Centre located in downtown San Antonio, in the South Texas Medical Center, in New Braunfels, and CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children's Hospital, San Antonio’s first children’s hospital, an academic teaching facility affiliated with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. In July 2009, we extended our ministry to the fast-growing Westover Hills community with the opening of the area’s first full-service hospital.  CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System also owns a majority interest in CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Physicians Ambulatory Surgery Centers – San Antonio , LLC, a joint venture physician partnership which is comprised of four outpatient surgery facilities in San Antonio including Alamo Heights , Stone Oak, and in the Medical Center area.  Additionally, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System owns a majority interest in the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Physicians Ambulatory Surgery Center in New Braunfels joint venture physician partnership.  CHRISTUS Santa Rosa is one of only three hospitals in Texas and the only one in San Antonio to receive the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence™ seven years in a row and to be named one of America ’s 50 Best Hospitals by HealthGrades® two consecutive years. It is also the preferred health system of the San Antonio SPURS. For additional information on CHRISTUS Santa Rosa, visit www.christussantarosa.org