When 82-year-old Robert arrived in the emergency room at Sharp Memorial Hospital with severe abdominal pain, he did not expect to be diagnosed with an ulcer that required surgery and a 12-day hospital stay. “I’m not someone who runs to the doctor,” Robert says. “But this was something I’d never experienced before.” His story is not unique.
Robert is one of the 100,000 each year who turns to Sharp Memorial for emergency care. For many of these patients, Sharp Memorial is a critical safety net – a medical haven where the uninsured and vulnerable can receive essential care. And each year, more patients depend on these emergency services. In fact, experts project San Diego County’s population will reach 3.4 million in the next five years. And the fastest-growing group? People 65 and older – those who utilize the health care system the most. That shift is reshaping health care.
“At the beginning of my career, I mostly cared for young people who had been in car or motorcycle accidents,” Diane Wintz, MD, a trauma surgeon, shared with GB Magazine San Diego. “Today, one-third of my trauma patients are over 65.” This changing demographic prompted her to ask an important question: Are we doing enough for our aging patients?
To address this group’s unique needs, Dr. Wintz assembled an interdisciplinary team and began developing a new approach to age-appropriate care. What began as a pilot program for 83 elderly trauma patients to regain independence has grown into the John M. Sachs Family Center for Generational Health, a philanthropically funded, internationally recognized program that encompasses an entire spectrum of geriatric care, with Dr. Wintz at the helm.
It was this personalized, age-friendly care that helped Robert return to independent living soon after his hospital visit. “The encouragement I received from the team accelerated my recovery,” Robert recalls. “My treatment was handled beautifully.”
Today, more than 5,000 patients a year benefit from this interdisciplinary care. “This program is just one example of Sharp HealthCare’s commitment to whole-person care and health equity,” says Trisha Khaleghi, RN, senior vice president and market chief executive officer of Sharp HealthCare Metropolitan Hospitals.
Indeed, at a time when many health systems are scaling back, Sharp is investing in its flagship campus to advance care and increase access for San Diegans. In the next few years, the Serra Mesa medical campus will see myriad changes, including expansion of the world-class Cushman Emergency and Trauma Center. “We are not just modernizing a campus,” Khaleghi adds. “We are growing to meet our community’s needs and building a future where everyone has access to quality health care. And we cannot do this work without our philanthropic partners.”
Through ENVISION: The Campaign for Sharp HealthCare, Sharp HealthCare Foundation is raising $100 million to support infrastructure, advanced clinical care, and innovation at the campus. Donors are already making their mark, with $36 million raised to date. “So many of us share a vision for a healthy future for our loved ones,” Dr. Wintz says. “And when philanthropy meets purpose, extraordinary things happen.”
To learn what Sharp is envisioning next, visit sharp.com/envision or call Christina Jordan at (858) 499-4800.
