Media Contact: Michael Schwartzberg, Media Relations Manager
(Office: 443-849-2126/Cell: 410-258-3465)

GBMC Opens Dedicated Unit To Care For Elderly Patients

“ACE Unit” First Of Its Kind In Baltimore County

BALTIMORE, Md. – September 26, 2006 – Greater Baltimore Medical Center has opened the Acute Care for the Elderly (ACE) Unit, a specialized 27-bed in-patient clinical area dedicated to caring for geriatric patients.  The first such unit at a Baltimore County hospital, it includes an interdisciplinary team of clinicians specially trained to meet the unique healthcare needs of elderly patients.  So far, more than 100 patients have been admitted to the ACE Unit, now in its fifth week of operation.

“We will provide aggressive and proactive care to reduce the risk of functional decline often associated with hospitalization of the elderly,” said Aaron Charles, M.D., a GBMC geriatrician and medical director of the ACE Unit. “Through special nursing care guidelines and discharge planning, as well as medical review, the care team will ensure optimum care for this often frail population.”

To be eligible for admission to the ACE Unit, patients must be at least 65-years-old and have an acute medical condition requiring hospitalization.  Patients most at risk for geriatric syndromes such as delirium, dementia, depression, incontinence, falls, or poly pharmacy are all candidates for admission.

“The ACE Unit is a unique setting designed to address not only the medical needs of elderly patients but their functional and social needs as well,” added Anthony Riley, M.D., GBMC’s medical director of senior services.  For example, Dr. Riley noted, patient rooms are designed expressly to meet the unique needs of this population, including special beds that can be lowered allowing easier access for patients and decreasing the risk of falls, raised toilet seats, and enhanced lighting.  “These modifications will enhance the elderly patient’s experience,” Dr. Riley said.

Eleanor Smith, 86, of Street, Md. in Harford County, was a recent inpatient in GBMC’s ACE Unit, being treated for an acute medical illness. “This is a lovely place and everyone has been wonderful to me, the nurses and all,” she said. "I could not have been in a better place.”  

Seniors comprise more than 14 percent of Baltimore County residents according to census figures, more than two percent higher than the national average.  “This initiative recognizes that seniors are the fastest-growing population in Baltimore County and often have the most difficulties when hospitalized,” said Becky Galloway, BSN, MHA, director of senior services for GBMC. 

Often when frail, elderly people leave the hospital, they are unable to return to their previous home environment due to the many treatments they received while hospitalized, according to Dr. Charles.  The ACE Unit will provide support to patients encouraging them to be as active as possible, to maintain hydration, and to avoid multiple medications that may be harmful.

Primary attending physicians will remain intricately involved with their patients, while ACE Unit clinicians will provide an added layer of care and support to help maximize the patient’s outcome.  Additionally, the ACE team will also be available to coordinate subsequent in-home or outpatient care the patients might require.

ACE Unit protocol also includes such interventions as minimizing blood draws and overnight interruptions when patients are sleeping.  Benefits of admission to the ACE Unit include a shorter length of stay for patients who have acute illnesses, as well as preservation of health status, rather than deterioration during the inpatient stay. “Our plan for each admission is to help patients return to their previous level of functioning,” said Dr. Charles.

Based on a holistic approach, the unit’s philosophy takes into account many aspects of senior health.  In addition to Dr. Charles and Dr. Riley, ACE unit care providers include a nurse practitioner and nurses who have received special training in caring for elderly inpatients.  Pharmacists, dieticians, care managers and rehabilitation specialists are all active participants in daily rounds on the ACE Unit, and nursing support technicians, secretaries, housekeepers and volunteers all provide support to these patients.

Expanding senior services, including opening the ACE Unit and extensive outreach to more than 15 independent, assisted living, and nursing facilities in the region, is one of GBMC’s strategic initiatives for fiscal year 2007.

Editor’s Note: Please contact Michael Schwartzberg if you are interested in interviewing ACE Unit clinicians/patients.

About GBMC
GBMC includes Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC), Central Maryland’s leading community hospital; Hospice of Baltimore, which provides comfort and care to patients with life-limiting illnesses; and the GBMC Foundation, which supports the GBMC mission by managing fundraising efforts.  The 292-bed Medical Center, located on a beautiful suburban campus, serves nearly 22,000 inpatients annually and provides approximately 50,000 emergency room visits. For more information, go to www.gbmc.org.

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