BRG Nationally Recognized for Improving Quality of Care for Seniors

BATON ROUGE, La. – For the seventh consecutive year, Baton Rouge General (BRG) has earned national recognition as a NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders) facility for its ongoing commitment to excellence in caring for patients age 65 and older. BRG first earned the NICHE designation in 2013, later achieving the enhanced level of NICHE distinction of “Seniors-Friendly.”

BRG offers comprehensive services for seniors – skilled nursing care, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, behavioral health services, wellness classes, wound care and hyperbaric, and patient navigator services. Seniors-Friendly status is awarded to NICHE hospitals that have undergone a rigorous evaluation of their seniors programs and services. Specific areas targeted by the NICHE program include:

• Decreasing length of hospital stay
• Reducing hospital-acquired complications
• Educating staff on enhanced sensitivity to seniors’ needs
• Redesigning patient care areas to enhance function and comfort

“Seniors today are a lot different than generations past, with many still working and still active physically and in the community,” said Dr. Venkat Banda, medical director at BRG Mid City. “Whether they have underlying health conditions, need help recovering from an injury, or are working through mental health issues, our team is here to provide the highest level of care.”

BRG’s senior-focused programs and services are led by a multidisciplinary team of nurses and physicians trained in geriatric care in collaboration with related care areas, including physical therapists, pharmacists and social workers who have specialized geriatric sensitivity training.

For more information visit brgeneral.org.

About Baton Rouge General Medical Center

Baton Rouge General Medical Center is the area’s first community hospital with over 600 licensed beds between three campuses. Baton Rouge General opened its doors in 1900, and has provided the Greater Baton Rouge community with high-quality healthcare for generations. An accredited teaching hospital since 1991, Baton Rouge General is affiliated with several medical school programs, and offers other medical education programs, including a School of Nursing, School of Radiologic Technology, Family Medicine Residency Program, Internal Medicine Residency Program, and Sports Medicine Fellowship Program. For more information, visit BRGeneral.org, find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/BatonRougeGeneral and follow us on Twitter @BRGeneral and Instagram @batonrougegeneral.