Oishei Foundation awards Memorial $575,000

The John R. Oishei Foundation has awarded a $575,000 grant to Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center to support the renovation and redesign of Memorial's inpatient medical-surgical unit.

The redesigned unit will focus on patient-centered care and operational efficiency, thereby increasing the amount and quality of time nurses are able to spend at the bedside.

"Patient and family centered care is not just about processes and approaches. The environment of care plays an extremely important role,'' Memorial President & CEO Joseph A. Ruffolo said. "This redesign will emphasize a philosophy that builds on the strengths of patients and their families to enhance independence and facilitate wellness - not only in the hospital but when they return to the community."

Unit amenities will include a Patient and Family Learning Center and a family room. Well-informed patients are more likely to stay healthy, and dedicated patient and family education space will provide a better environment for health teaching by ensuring patients and family members clearly understand after-hospital instructions regarding medications and care at home.

Patient comfort and convenience are keys to the redesign. Noise reduction features such as sound absorbing ceilings and floors will be used extensively to provide a peaceful atmosphere that promotes healing. All patient rooms will be single rooms, as is the case on the current unit.  

In addition to the traditional nurses station, the unit will feature a nurse substation to improve workflow and increase care-process efficiency.

The grant is the latest award supporting a three-year strategic plan designed to facilitate Memorial's transformation from a safety net hospital to a Center for Community Health that implements health care reform by focusing on quality of care, expanded primary care services, improved medication safety and enhanced bedside care.

The John R. Oishei Foundation is the area's largest private foundation with nearly $267 million in assets.