Program for Saturday May 15, 2021

Co-Chairs: Lauren Ferrante, MD, MHS & Una Makris, MD, MSc 

Speakers: Ula Hwang, MD, MPH; Eleni Linos, MD, MPH, DrPH; Heidi Klepin, MD; Tom Robinson, MD; Thomas Gill, MD; Sue Zieman, MD, PhD

The Medical Specialties Section was developed in 2002 by the Association of Specialty Professors project “Integrating Geriatrics into the Specialties of Internal Medicine:  Moving Forward from Awareness to Action,” funded by The John A. Hartford Foundation and Atlantic Philanthropies, Inc. 

Medical and surgical subspecialists will provide updates on activities within their disciplines, thereby showcasing opportunities for specialists to advance a geriatrics agenda within their specialty societies and their institutions. In addition, we will discuss career development topics relevant to junior faculty pursuing aging research.  This year's session will feature a panel of medical and surgical subspecialty leaders discussing resilience/grit when pursuing an aging-focused agenda in one’s specialty. All medical and surgical subspecialists are encouraged to attend.  Breakfast will be served.
 

Speaker: Peter A. Hollmann, MD

This open workshop will focus on answering your questions about CPT coding and billing, Medicare incentive and penalty programs (e.g. MIPS), reimbursement rules and related practice management issues.  Attendees bring their questions for discussion. Learning Objectives: (1) discuss CPT/HCPCS coding and billing; and (2) describe how Medicare policy can affect your practice.

Sponsored by the Research Committee
Moderator:  TBD
This session will present the latest peer-reviewed geriatrics research with questions and answers to follow.  Learning Objectives: (1) discuss new and original geriatrics research; (2) describe an emerging concept or new scientific focus in aging research; and (3) summarize the key findings of projects with relevance to care of older adults.  

Sponsored by the Teachers Section and the Education Committee   

Speaker: Christine S. Ritchie, MD, MSPH

Working effectively in teams is critical for leaders in geriatric care. This workshop will offer participants the opportunity to gain insights on their and their colleagues’ reactivity and defensiveness. It will offer guidance and tips on how to modulate one’s own reactivity and navigate the reactivity and defensiveness of others.  Learning Objectives: (1) describe behavioral indicators of reactivity in ourselves in others; (2) identify strategies to modulate our own reactivity; and (3) review approaches to foster an environment that mitigates against reactivity and supports positive and effective interactions in team settings.

Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology

Speakers: Alexander P. Auchus, MD & Juebin Huang, MD, PhD

This case-based symposium will illustrate the utility of neuroimaging in the evaluation of patients with cognitive impairment and mild cognitive impairment.  Learning Objectives: (1) describe neuroimaging tests available to the geriatrics healthcare provider; (2) discuss the application of these tests in evaluating patients; (3) review when each test might be helpful; and (4) appreciate the interpretations of neuroimaging results.

Moderator: Kathleen Drago, MD
This symposium will highlight the latest clinical research in "UTI" / asymptomatic bacteriuria diagnosis & treatment, how it is reflected in the latest clinical guidelines and establish a call to action in adopting this information into clinical practice.  Learning Objectives: (1) incorporate the latest clinical research and professional society guidelines on "UTI" and asymptomatic bacteriuria into their existing “when to test, when to treat” framework; (2) describe the female urinary microbiome and its relationship to "UTI" and asymptomatic bacteriuria in older women; and (3) incorporate knowledge of the urinary microbiome to improve usual care for "UTI" and asymptomatic bacteriuria.

Speakers: Kenneth Covinsky, MD, MPH; Eric W. Widera, MD & Alexander K. Smith, MD, MS, MPH   

The Geriatric Literature Update is always one of the most popular sessions at the annual meeting. The session will focus on the year's most important published papers. Discussion includes the significance of findings and application to patient care.  Learning Objectives: (1) identify areas in clinical medicine where new strong evidence has been uncovered that should affect geriatric practice; (2) describe the results of a critical appraisal of this evidence; and (3) discuss clinical advances in caring for older adults from a review of approximately 30 peer-reviewed journals January-December, 2020.

Moderator: Laurence M. Solberg, MD, AGSF

Sponsored by the Clinical Practice and Models of Care Committee, Geriatrics Consultative Services Special Interest Group, Acute Hospital Care Special Interest Group

Learning Objectives: (1) define dementia related behaviors & differentiate from delirium; (2) describe & implement non-pharmacological interventions for the treatment of delirium & dementia related behaviors; (3) discuss various pharmacological regimens and potential side effects that have been trialed for dementia associated with disruptive behaviors or hypersexual behaviors; (4) recognize the limitations and barriers regarding evaluation and management as well as the ethical and social concerns; (5) discuss and list best practices for caring for hospitalized persons with delirium-superimposed on dementia (DSD) and discuss the barriers and facilitators to management of DSD; (6) recognize that sleep, pain, anxiety and bipolar disorders are common but treatable contributors to agitated delirium in dementia patients; (7) discuss the efficacy and safety profile of antipsychotics in treating agitated delirium; and (8) discuss the evidence for efficacy and toxicity of Cannabinoids, anti-epileptics, and central alpha-2 adrenoreceptor agonists in patients with delirium superimposed on dementia.

Moderator: Kevin P. High, MD, MS

This session will feature brief TED talks 7-minutes long with no more than 3 slides for each talk. Learning Objectives: (1) discuss the epidemiology of vaccine-preventable illness in older adults; (2) identify the current immunization recommendations for influenza, pneumococcal, herpes zoster, and pertussis vaccination for adults 65 years or older; and (3) evaluate the role of the pharmacist in improving vaccination rates in the older adult population.

Moderator: Lisa J. Granville, MD, AGSF

Sponsored by the Pharmacists Section, Polypharmacy Special Interest Group, Nurses Section, Fellows-In-Training Section, Residents Section, Teachers Section, and the Education Committee

Learning Objectives: (1) using the framework of the geriatric 5Ms (medications, mind, mobility, multicomplexity and matters most), implement a strategy to optimize medication management in older patients with different prognoses; and (2) Compare and contrast decision support tools and approaches to optimizing drug regimens for older adults across the spectrum of function and prognosis, including identifying potentially inappropriate medications and deprescribing.

Moderator: Christopher Carpenter, MD

Learning Objectives: (1) review the different care delivery models and programs offered by the AGS and other organizations; (2) discuss the importance of adopting evidence-based program models; and (3) assess which model is a possibility for implementation.

Sponsored by the Research Committee, Junior Faculty Research Career Development Special Interest Group, Medical Subspecialities Section, Tideswell Leaders in Aging Program Special Interest Group

Moderator: Melisa L. Wong, MD, MAS

The goal of this symposium is to openly share stories of failures in aging research and lessons learned to build resilience and promote an ongoing culture of mutual support through AGS. Learning Objectives: (1) adopt a growth mindset to recognize that scientific progress is built on failures and setbacks and to see them as opportunities for growth; (2) connect with researchers in aging through personal stories of persistence with embarking on new research questions, obtaining research funding, and adapting in response to disappointing research results; (3) identify strategies to build persistence and resilience in response to failure; and (4) find the courage to show vulnerability and share your own stories of failure and resilience with colleagues and mentees.

Presenters: Laurie G. Jacobs, MD, AGSF, FACP & Danielle M. Tompkins, PharmD

Learning Objectives: (1) describe the diversity of anticoagulant agents in clinical use including indications, pharmacology, monitoring and prescribing considerations; (2) evaluate anticoagulant use and considerations for deprescribing; and (3) describe the indications and prescribing considerations for anticoagulant reversal in older adults, including circumstances of emergency surgery and severe bleeding.

Description coming soon.

Moderator: Richard Besdine, MD

Learning Objectives: (1) review the importance of making a business case to prepare for successful program implementation; (2) discuss the major components needed to build a business case; and (3) obtain techniques for approaching leadership with the business case.

Sponsored by the Teachers Section; Education Committee; and the IPE Special Interest Group

Moderator: Cheryl A. Sadowski, PharmD, BCGP, FCSHP

Learning Objectives: (1) identify areas of collaboration and development for IPE; (2) explain how academic institutions can collaborate with community-based providers from local services to create and implement geriatrics IP curricula in rural communities; (3) create a process to develop a focused IPE activity, such as an IPE week embedded within an existing curriculum; and (4) describe a model of geriatrics learning community and its impact on patient care in an academic ambulatory care setting.

Moderator: TBD

This session will present the latest peer-reviewed geriatrics research with questions and answers to follow.  Learning Objectives: (1) discuss new and original geriatrics research; (2) describe an emerging concept or new scientific focus in aging research; and (3) summarize the key findings of projects with relevance to care of older adults.  

Sponsored by the Ethnogeriatrics Committee
Moderator: Lenise A. Cummings-Vaughn, MD, CMD
This session will provide an overview of the magnitude of older adult immigrants and refugees population, challenges specific to immigrations status, and accessing health care for cognitive impairment and depression. It will highlight current national standards, relevance and applicability of culturally appropriate approaches and interventions; and possible plans for integration into clinical practice.  Learning Objectives: (1) review health care coverage, programs, and services, available to immigrants including updates to related Medicaid programs, National Standards on Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) and the Health and Human Services (HHS) strategic plan on language access; (2) describe common legal issues related to advance planning and immigration and their potential impact on the care of older adult immigrants; and (3) identify evaluation strategies for depression and cognitive impairment in immigrants and refugees with Limited English Proficiency.

Sponsored by the Research Committee

Moderator:  TBD

This session will present the latest peer-reviewed geriatrics research with questions and answers to follow.  Learning Objectives: (1) discuss new and original geriatrics research; (2) describe an emerging concept or new scientific focus in aging research; and (3) summarize the key findings of projects with relevance to care of older adults.

Moderator:  Julie Bynum, MD, MPH
Clinicians, while often aware of social isolation as a problem, may lack organizational support to help them care for isolated patients, especially when preventive and chronic disease management are adversely affected.  Learning Objectives: (1) define social isolation, its risk factors, and tools for measuring social isolation; (2) review how new ICD-10 codes will capture social barriers to accessing proper care and how this can help improve care; (3) describe how behavioral health and cognitive decline are associated with social isolation; and (4) describe how clinicians can put this information into practice.