DIVISION OF GERIATRIC MEDICINE

 

 activeaging

The Division of Geriatric Medicine sits within the Departments of Medicine and Family Medicine and Community Health and works closely with the Advancing Geriatric Education project. This provides a diverse faculty and a variety of approaches to health, education, and research regarding older persons in this country. The faculty, whether Clinician or Researcher, is focused on patients and methods of health care to improve the overall health and independence of older persons. The faculty and staff of the Division of Geriatric Medicine have a commitment to excellence in:

Medical Care: Services include comprehensive geriatric assessment, fall evaluation, geriatric consultation, home visits, and long-term care. Members of the staff provide coverage in several of the area’s skilled nursing and long-term care facilities. Geriatricians work as a team with nurse practitioners, social workers, and physical and occupational therapists to ensure the best care for their patients.

Medical Education: The division is committed to and involved in educational initiatives and research at all levels--undergraduate, post-graduate and continuing education for physicians. From integrating geriatric medicine throughout the undergraduate curriculum to fellowships and Chief Resident Immersion Training, we focus on how to better to serve an aging population. Our fellowship acknowledges that it is essential that geriatricians increase awareness of the special concerns of the elderly and is committed to making the both excellect clinicians and educators.

Research: Members of the geriatric medicine division are conducting research in areas that include: Improving Medical Safety, Improving Transitions of Care, Improve Quality of Care in Nursing Homes, Improve access to Medications for Seniors

With the aging of the U.S. population the need for medical providers, educators, and researchers with expertise in geriatrics has never been so pressing. We hope that you will join us in our efforts -- either by volunteering, participating in one of our research studies, or via philanthropy. Please call us at 508-856-3085 to find out more.


  Division Chief   

Jerry Gurwitz, MD   

Jerry H. Gurwitz, MD is Chief of the Division of Geriatric Medicine. He is a nationally recognized expert in geriatric medicine and the use of drug therapy in the elderly. He holds the Dr. John Meyers Professorship in Primary Care Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, where he is Chief of the Division of Geriatric Medicine. He also serves as the Executive Director of the Meyers Primary Care Institute, a joint initiative of the Fallon Clinic Foundation, Fallon Community Health Plan, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, focused on promoting primary care research and education.

Clinical Chief
DuBeau2010The Clinical Chief of the Division of Geriatric Medicine is Dr. Catherine DuBeau, a board certified geriatrician and nationally recognized expert in geriatric medicine and urogynecology. Her research focuses on quality of life impact, patient-centered outcomes, and long-term care, and more recently on medical education on incontinence.