In 2021, a total of $50,468 was awarded to five Princeton Health units, with grants ranging from $2,600 to $20,000.
This program encourages staff from any area of Princeton Health to develop and submit innovative and problem solving initiatives. Projects may be proposed to improve patient outcomes or safety, increase efficiency, or pilot a new program. Funding decisions are made by a Grants Committee consisting of Princeton Health board members, administrators, physicians and community volunteers.
Awardees for the 2021-2022 cycle:
Project Title: Incision Decision
Department: Labor & Delivery
In an effort to reduce first time caesarean rates, Maternal Child Health is developing an interdisciplinary app which includes algorithms to help guide clinical decision making, nursing intervention tracking and communication tools. It integrates into smartphone platforms where Princeton Health physicians and other clinical team members can securely communicate, while referencing tools and resources within the app. This tool, combined with a patients’ medical record will help to improve maternal child health outcomes with a lowered caesarean rate, shorter length of stay and improved patient experience.
Project Title: Therapeutic Virtual Reality for Mindfulness, Anxiety and Trauma Recovery
Department: Princeton House Behavioral Health - Allied Clinical Therapies
Over 30 years of academic research suggests that the redirecting attention may play a key role in the management of serious conditions such as pain and anxiety. Through the Princeton Health Innovations Grant, Princeton House can introduce virtual reality as a new interventional tool to be used by in-patients during therapy in order to address anxiety, stress and trauma. The immersive nature of virtual reality devices helps highly distractible patients retain focus, and therefore increase intervention effectiveness when used in a small group setting.
Project Title: Evidence Based Expiratory Muscle Strength Training (EMST) and its Positive Effect on Strengthening and Improving the Efficacy of Swallowing and Coughing in Patients with Weak Respiratory Support
Department: Speech Therapy
The EMST program strives to increase patients respiratory muscle strength (specifically exhalation), thereby reducing the risk of aspiration pneumonia in those with reduced lung capacity. This new treatment will be especially beneficial for those who have been diagnosed with a stroke or Parkinson’s Disease.
Project Title: Wellness Wardrobe
Department: Princeton House Behavioral Health
This initiative will provide essential clothing, undergarments, footwear, accessories, etc. for in-patients most in need. It has been shown that patients who feel better about themselves are more receptive to therapy. Once given clean, appropriate clothing, patients will be able to focus on their mental, emotional and behavioral issues.
Project Title: Touchless Filtered Water Station for Princeton Medical Center Restaurant
Department: Department of Sustainability
The Touchless Filtered Water Station will allow all visitors to the Princeton Medical Center restaurant to have access to a complimentary refrigerated water bottle filling station. This will greatly reduce the use of single-use plastic bottles and the costs associated with waste removal.
Do you have a positive or inspiring story to share?