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Atrium Medical Center Plans New Senior-Friendly Emergency Unit

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio (October 3, 2016) – Elderly patients who arrive at Atrium Medical Center’s emergency department after the hospital completes its next project to enhance services will be greeted with an improved experience, specially-trained staff and additional safety features.

Most traditional emergency departments aren’t designed with seniors in mind. They might find an emergency department visit a confusing, uncomfortable or overwhelming experience. 

At its 2016 gala Memories Are Made of This held Saturday, Sept. 24, Atrium Medical Center Foundation publicly launched a new fundraising campaign for renovations to create an eight-bed, senior-friendly geriatric unit within Atrium Medical Center’s Emergency Trauma Center. 

“As the baby boomers are aging and developing complex health conditions, there is a need to provide more effective and efficient care. With a team of specially-trained care providers, seniors can receive focused assessments and treatment to potentially avoid hospitalization,” said Marquita Turner, chief nursing officer of Atrium Medical Center. “This approach leads to more cost-effective care.”

The Foundation’s goal is to raise at least $500,000 by January 2017 to fund the improvements. Thanks to the generosity of Atrium and Premier Health employees, medical staff, lead donors and gala attendees, progress has already been made towards the fundraising effort.

"The hospital identified this service as a need and the Foundation’s Board of Directors agreed to help as almost everyone has a parent, grandparent, older relative or friend that could benefit from the service," said Michael Stautberg, president of Atrium Medical Center Foundation.

The new unit, planned to start construction in 2017, will be more comfortable for adults 65 years and up with soothing colors and lighting, reduced noise levels, and chairs and beds designed for older bodies. Non-skid floors, senior-friendly call buttons, fall monitors in every bed, additional railings and hearing assistance will enhance safety when older patients might be vulnerable to falls.

Staff with special training in geriatric care will assess the full spectrum of elderly patients’ needs, including nutrition and home assistance, and create a plan for improved care in the hospital and at home.

Consider a contribution to the project by contacting Atrium Medical Center Foundation at 513-420-5144, foundation@atriummedcenter.org or online at https://www.atriummedcenter.org/Atrium-Medical-Center-Foundation/. 

Expect to see another announcement about the new senior-friendly emergency unit once an opening date has been set. Currently, the emergency department at Atrium, which serves Butler and Warren counties and surrounding communities, has 48 total patient rooms and saw 54,000 patient visits in 2015. Atrium Medical Center maintains full accreditation as Warren County’s only Level III Trauma Center, providing rapid assessment, resuscitation, initiation of appropriate treatment and ongoing care for all forms of traumatic injury.

Plans for the new geriatric unit follow another recent announcement by Atrium to offer a new innovative service to the Cincinnati market. Greater Cincinnati’s first natural birth center will open by the end of 2016 at Atrium Medical Center, providing expecting mothers services to cope with labor without traditional interventions. Natural Beginnings Birth Center is the first comprehensive natural birth center in the greater Cincinnati area to be located within an acute care hospital.

“Atrium is excited to be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2017 and proud to continue to evolve to meet the health needs of the local community with new services like senior friendly emergency care and a natural birth program,” said Michael Uhl, chief operating officer of Atrium Medical Center.

Atrium Medical Center is a full-service hospital and Level III Trauma Center located conveniently along the Interstate 75 corridor at exit 32, One Medical Center Drive in Middletown, between Cincinnati and Dayton. The hospital is the city of Middletown’s second largest employer of more than 1,500 people in full-time, part-time and on-call positions. Atrium is operated by the Dayton-based nonprofit Premier Health system.

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*The current wait time is an estimated wait time before a person sees a physician and is not a guarantee. It is based on patient activity (how many patients are being treated and the severity of their injuries) within the last hour, and it is subject to change at any moment. If you are experiencing an emergency, call 911.