University of Utah Health has earned a national Level 3 Excellence in System-wide Spread designation from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), according to an August 3 statement. This highest-tier honor recognizes organizations that have successfully embedded evidence-based, age-friendly care across multiple departments, clinics, and specialties to ensure consistent care for older adults throughout a health system.
The designation follows an intensive 18-month collaborative effort occurring from 2024 to 2025. During this period, University of Utah Health worked with the IHI and other medical institutions to implement age-friendly practices across specialized clinics, inpatient units, primary care offices, and emergency departments.
As of June 2026, University of Utah Health is one of only 14 health systems nationwide to meet the rigorous standards required for this specific recognition. The framework used to achieve this is known as the 4
Ms, which focuses on four key areas for older adults:
What Matters: Aligning care decisions with the values, preferences, and health outcome goals of the patient.
Medication: Managing medications by choosing age-friendly options that do not interfere with cognitive health, mobility, or patient goals.
Mind: Actively managing, identifying, and preventing conditions such as delirium, depression, and dementia.
Mobility: Assisting older adults in moving safely to maintain function.
Timothy Farrell, MD, AGSF, CPAFH, the Geriatrics Division Associate Chief for Age-Friendly Care at University of Utah Health, stated that the implementation of the 4
Ms into daily routines ensures that personal goals, mobility, cognition, and medications are viewed as a cohesive whole during any point of care.
Kencee Graves, MD, the Chief Medical Quality Officer for University of Utah Health, said that integrating the 4
Ms into clinical workflows builds a reliable framework that protects the cognitive and physical health of older adults while keeping care aligned with patient priorities.
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement is a globally recognized, not-for-profit organization that has used improvement science and evidence-based methods for over 30 years to partner with millions of people in the healthcare field.
