Turning evidence into action using a senior friendly hospital framework and a collaborative network

Abstract

The Senior Friendly Hospital Accelerating Change Together in Ontario program linked the Collaborative Network Model and the Senior Friendly Hospital Framework in a unique multi-hospital knowledge-to-practice initiative to improve care for hospitalized older adults. The design enabled teams from 78 Ontario hospitals to close a shared skills and knowledge gap while meeting the varied needs of their diverse contexts. Results suggest that this design meant to reduce unnecessary redundancy, while preserving requisite diversity, was successful in achieving its specific objectives: to build a collaborative network and increase the confidence, knowledge, and skills of its members sufficient to lead sustainable improvements in their unique hospital settings. Findings with special relevance to process improvement specialists, health system leaders, and hospital administrators and managers are discussed.