ACCESS Recognized as Age-Friendly Health System, Championing Quality Care for Older Adults
January 6, 2026
CHICAGO, IL - All older adults deserve safe, high-quality health care that is based on what matters most to them as individuals and delivered reliably in every setting.
Aligned with Access Community Health Network’s (ACCESS) mission to remove barriers to care and meet the needs of our older adult population, ACCESS is proud to announce that 34 of our health centers have been recognized as an Age-Friendly Health System participant and to be the first federally qualified health center network in Chicago to implement age-friendly health care."
Age-Friendly Health Systems is an initiative of The John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), in partnership with the American Hospital Association (AHA) and the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA), designed to meet the needs of a growing older adult population.
The four essential elements of an Age-Friendly Health System are known as the 4Ms. Learn about each element and how ACCESS is supporting our older adults:
- What Matters: Know and align care with each older adult's specific health outcome goals and care preferences including, but not limited to, asking patients how they learn best, which is documented and visible on a patient’s health record.
- Medication: If medication is necessary, use age-friendly medication that does not interfere with the 4Ms.
- Mentation: Prevent, identify, treat, and manage dementia, depression, and delirium. During Medicare Wellness Visits, the mini-cognition or mini-mental is completed. Within ACCESS’ integrated primary and behavioral health care model, patients also receive PHQ2 and PHQ9 screenings and, if they screen positively, we can refer them to behavioral health services.
- Mobility: Ensure that older adults move safely every day in order to maintain function and do ‘What Matters’. All patients are screened for mobility using the Timed Up & Go tool during Medicare visits.
“ACCESS has always been dedicated to delivering the highest quality care to our patients and communities. As the first federally qualified health center network in Chicago to be recognized as an Age-Friendly Health System, we are reaffirming our commitment to addressing the evolving needs of our growing older adult population,” said Abby Boyer, ACCESS’ VP of Population Health Strategy and Quality. “Through compassion, care coordination, and the 4M framework as a guide, we will continue to refine a care delivery model that enhances the quality of life across the communities we serve.”
As ACCESS moves into 2026, the organization will continue to work to strengthen our focus, identify new opportunities to improve care, raise awareness, and ensure that every older adult receives equitable, high-quality care—not just during Medicare Wellness Visits, but at every interaction.
To learn more about the Age-Friendly Health System, click here.
About Access Community Health Network (ACCESS)
ACCESS offers patient-centered, preventive, and primary care services to more than 150,000 patients annually throughout Chicago and suburban Cook and DuPage counties. As the nation’s sixth largest network of federally qualified health centers, ACCESS continues to innovate and evolve its patient-centered care delivery model to address the total health needs of our patients and improve their overall experience. For more information, visit: www.achn.net.
For more information, please contact Director of Communications Alex Gallegos at Alex.Gallegos@achn.net.