INDIANAPOLIS -

Indiana University is undergoing a sizeable effort to improve the quality of care for seniors who live in nursing homes and cut health care costs at the same time.

IU has placed an extra resource, registered nurse Betty Grady at Rosewalk on the east side of Indianapolis.

"I think this is what I was born to be, an optimistic research nurse. I love this. I feel like I can make a difference," Grady said.

She is one of 25 RNs or nurse practitioners with an extra set of eyes on 2,000 patients at 19 central Indiana nursing homes who helped identify an early infection in resident Ola Bluitt.

"I didn't know that I had pneumonia. I knew that I wasn't feeling well and I just couldn't understand what was going on with my body," the 80-year-old resident said.

With new "OPTIMISTIC" protocols, subtle changes in Ola's health were flagged and documented on a new "Stop and Watch" form, which led to more care.

"Because we started the antibiotic early, we were able to catch the pneumonia early and she was able to stay here at home," Grady said.

That's a better option than going to the hospital, where seniors like Ola are more vulnerable to infection and confusion.

"They have long waits when they go through the emergency room. They don't know anyone there, so there is also that fear factor," said Grady.

Read the original post:

OPTIMISTIC health care study aims at saving lives, money