WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – White Plains Hospital has once again been recognized for its commitment to the quality care of older adults by NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders), earning Exemplar status. NICHE is the premier program indicating a hospital's commitment to excellence in the care of patients 65 years and older.
“Being recognized as Exemplar by NICHE is an achievement that we are incredibly proud of at White Plains Hospital,” said Leigh Anne McMahon, Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer. “Through our participation in the NICHE program, we are able to promote better outcomes, enhance the patient and family experience, and improve the care we provide to patients over 65 in our community.”
The Exemplar status was assigned to White Plains Hospital following a rigorous evaluation process. The requirements include implementation of the NICHE Geriatric Resource Nurse (GRN) model and evidence-based protocols on all applicable units, including specialty units; implementation of systemic aging-sensitive policies; inclusion of the input of patients, families, and community-based providers in planning and implementation of NICHE initiatives; and assuming regional and national leadership roles.
According to the 2018 United States Census, Westchester County has a significantly high percentage of older adults compared to the rest of the country, with 17% of the population 65 and older. White Plains Hospital has geriatric specialists with additional advanced training focused on the needs of older individuals, including the often complex chronic and acute health conditions that come with advanced age.
About the NICHE program
Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders (NICHE) is a nursing education and consultation program designed to improve geriatric care in healthcare organizations. The NICHE program of NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing provides resources for nursing and interdisciplinary teams to achieve organizational goals for the care of older adult patients. For more information, visit www.nicheprogram.org.
About White Plains Hospital
White Plains Hospital is a proud member of the Montefiore Health System, serving as its tertiary hub of advanced care in the Hudson Valley. The Hospital is a 292-bed not-for-profit health care organization with the primary mission of providing exceptional acute and preventive medical care to all people who live in, work in or visit Westchester County and its surrounding areas. Centers of Excellence include the Center for Cancer Care, The William & Sylvia Silberstein Neonatal & Maternity Center and The Ruth and Jerome A. Siegel Stroke Center. The Hospital’s Flanzer Emergency Department is the busiest in Westchester County, with more than 60,000 patient visits a year. White Plains Hospital performs lifesaving emergency and elective angioplasty in its Joan and Alan Herfort, MD, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and Marie Promuto Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. White Plains Hospital has outpatient medical facilities across Westchester, including multispecialty practices in Armonk, New Rochelle, Somers and Yorktown Heights; and Scarsdale Medical Group locations in Harrison and Scarsdale. The Hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission and earned its recognition as a Top Performer for Key Quality Measures® in 2015 and 2013. The Hospital received Magnet® designation in 2012 and 2016 from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). In 2014, 2016 and 2018, and 2019, White Plains Hospital received the Outstanding Patient Experience Award from Healthgrades® and in 2019, was the only Hospital in Westchester to be named Best Regional Hospital by U.S. News & World Report. www.wphospital.org