By 2030, 1 in 5 Americans will be 65 years old or older, creating higher demand for healthcare tailored to an older population.

At the Brigham—a national leader in geriatric care—older adults account for 40% of inpatient procedures. To enhance the quality and safety of care, the hospital developed the Superior Treatment of Elders Pathway (STEP) Program, which has improved patient outcomes and reduced readmissions after surgery.

Recognizing STEP’s potential to transform geriatric care, the West Health Institute, a nonprofit applied medical research institute, is partnering with the Brigham and Mass General Brigham (MGB) to build on the program’s success. The West Health Accelerator at Mass General Brigham will invest $16.4 million in a multiyear, interdisciplinary team effort to develop a new training curriculum, improve the inpatient experience, and integrate these best practices across nine MGB hospitals.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Mass General Brigham on such an important initiative,” says Shelley Lyford, CEO and chair of the West Health Institute and Gary and Mary West Foundation. “The U.S. healthcare system has been slow to adjust to the aging population’s needs. This is why at West Health, we see a need to accelerate great programs like STEP, which could be transformational.”

West Health’s founders, Gary and Mary West, entrepreneurs and philanthropists who committed their fortune to improving aging and lowering healthcare costs in the U.S., established three nonprofits. The Gary and Mary West Foundation, the West Health Institute, and the West Health Policy Center work in concert to make successful aging a reality for all Americans.

The directors of the West Health Accelerator at Mass General Brigham, Zara Cooper, MD, MSc, and Rachelle Bernacki, MD, MS, aim to create a model geriatric care program that can be implemented nationally.

“We’re so thankful for the West Health Institute’s vision to expand this work,” says Cooper, director of the Brigham’s Center for Geriatric Surgery and the Center for Surgery and Public Health, as well as the Kessler Endowed Chair in Surgery and Public Health. “This dream project will ensure more patients have better function, cognition, and quality of life after hospitalization.”

“This is all about creating something powerful together,” says Bernacki. “We’re galvanizing the energy of frontline caregivers to achieve the best possible outcomes for older adults.”