NewYork-Presbyterian. The University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell.

The Allen Hospital

Geriatric Medicine and Aging

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The Division of Geriatric Medicine and Aging at NewYork-Presbyterian/The Allen Hospital provides older adults with medical, functional, cognitive, and psychosocial care, and other support services necessary to promote optimum health in later years. We also provide support for the caregivers of older adults.

Our staff includes fellowship-trained geriatric medicine physicians, geriatric nurse practitioners, and others who specialize in the care of older adults. We also collaborate with subspecialty physicians and other clinicians to offer comprehensive interdisciplinary care. The Allen Hospital's geriatric medicine clinicians are specialty-trained in issues of aging, including:

• Arthritis
• Balance problems and falls
• Diabetes
• Frailty
• Hypertension
• Memory loss
• Osteoporosis
• Pain management
• Palliative and end-of-life care
• Urinary problems

Geriatrics and Aging Services include coordinated, specialized programs for older adults through outreach programs in the community. We provide older adults with the diagnostic services, medical and surgical treatment, and continued support necessary to preserve optimum health.

Clinical services are offered in both inpatient and outpatient settings, including local long-term care facilities The Allen Geriatrics Ambulatory Practice offers outpatient primary care and consultations by an interdisciplinary team.

Geriatrics Inpatient Service

Patients in our practice requiring hospitalization are admitted to the Geriatrics Inpatient Service, where care is directed by one of our doctors. This assures that important information about your care is available and transmitted appropriately at the time of admission and discharge. This service consists of an attending geriatrician and nurse practitioner, who work closely with other staff to care for each patient. A major goal of the geriatric team is to prevent or minimize common problems in hospitalized older adults and to define the goals of care.

Geriatric Consultation Service

This physician-based consultation service is available to older inpatients on any nursing unit at The Allen Hospital. Many vulnerable elderly patients admitted to the hospital by either subspecialty or primary care physicians have specific geriatric issues. Geriatricians involved in the consultation service are able to address issues common in the elderly, such as incontinence, hospital-induced delirium, dizziness, dementia, polypharmacy (use of multiple medications by a patient), falls, sleep disorders, elder abuse, palliative care, and discharge planning.

Geriatrics Ambulatory Practice

The Geriatrics Ambulatory Practice is located on the third floor (Room 3FW-150) of The Allen Hospital. The practice is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. The office is closed from 12 noon to 1 p.m.

Our practice is team-based and includes geriatricians and a nurse practitioner (Deborah Smyth, Geriatric Nurse Practitioner). Our physicians include:

• Evelyn C. Granieri, MD (Chief of Service)
• Bindhu Thomas, MD
• Predrag Popovic, MD
• Nancy (Xiaoshuang) Yin, MD

Patients are referred for Practice services in several ways:

• After a patient stay at The Allen Hospital
• From a primary care or specialty physician
• Through local support agencies and organizations
• By case manager referral
• By self referral

Medicare, Medicaid, and some managed care plans are accepted. Practice staff will assist patients and their families in determining coverage.

To schedule or change an appointment, please contact our scheduling office at (212) 932-6036.

Educational Programs

One goal of the Division of Geriatric Medicine and Aging is to foster geriatric education among members of the healthcare field, as well as in the community. Our educational programs teach physicians and other clinicians, as well as people in the community, about evidence-based and compassionate ways to care for older adults.

About Our Physicians

Our Geriatric Medicine physicians are also on the staff of NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, one of the country's major academic medical centers. In addition, each of our physicians is a member of the highly regarded ColumbiaDoctors faculty practice. This means that patients experience a level of care found in a leading academic medical center, while being cared for in the intimate setting of a community hospital.

Our Physicians

• Thuy-Tien L. Dam, MD