News/Press Releases

• . @AmerGeriatrics supports the recently announced decision from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to require the collection of real-world information via a registry to study monoclonal antibodies. Read more: https://www.americangeriatrics.org/media-center/news/ags-supports-cms-decision-require-real-world-data-monoclonal-antibodies

New York (July 11, 2023)  — The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) supports the recently announced decision from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to require the collection of real-world information via a registry to study monoclonal antibodies directed against amyloid for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. This decision applies to monoclonal antibodies that receive traditional approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Currently, lecanemab (trade name Leqembi™) is the only monoclonal antibody with this approval.

• Today, @AmerGeriatrics released the 2023 update to the AGS Beers Criteria® for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults (DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18372). http://ow.ly/P0Q850Og2Zf

New York (May 4, 2023) — Today, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) released the 2023 update to the AGS Beers Criteria® for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults (DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18372). The AGS Beers Criteria® serves as a comprehensive list of medications that older people should potentially avoid or consider using with caution because they often present unnecessary risks for this population. Given that, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, United States (NCHSUS), more than 88% of older people use at least one prescription and more than 66% use three or more in any given month, the AGS Beers Criteria® are an important clinical, educational, and quality assurance tool for clinicians across disciplines and the healthcare system as a whole.

• AGS @AmerGeriatrics welcomes Donna M. Fick, PhD, GCNS-BC, AGSF, FGSA, FAAN (@agilis) as the new President at the 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting (#AGS23)  http://ow.ly/4huC50OfQjR

New York (May 3, 2022) — Donna M. Fick, PhD, GCNS-BC, AGSF, FGSA, FAAN will step into the role of President of the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) at the 2023 AGS Annual Scientific meeting which is taking place May 4-6, 2023 (pre-conference day is May 3). An AGS member since 1999 and a member of its Board since 2015, Dr. Fick is committed to working with AGS leaders and members to improve the health, independence, and quality of life of all older people.

“I have always appreciated AGS’ focus, support and advancement of an interprofessional team approach that puts older adults and caregivers at the center, embraces the best evidence and innovation, and is dedicated to caring for our workforce.” said Dr. Fick. “I am humbled and honored to be stepping into the presidential role at an organization that celebrates the joy of caring for older adults, supports its members to overcome the challenges that we face, and that is advocating for a future vision where we all are supported by and able to contribute to communities where ageism, ableism, classism, homophobia, racism, sexism, xenophobia, and other forms of bias and discrimination no longer impact healthcare access, quality, and outcomes for older adults and their caregivers.” 

• .@AmerGeriatrics welcomes its newest class of fellows — a select group of experts recognized for their deep commitment to the AGS and to advancing high-quality, person-centered care for us all as we age. http://ow.ly/cHCI50O69xY

New York (May 1, 2023) — Today the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) announced the 16 AGS members who have been awarded AGS Fellowship.  This distinction recognizes AGS members for their deep commitment to the AGS and to advancing high-quality, person-centered care for us all as we age.  The new AGS fellows will be formally recognized at the 2023 AGS Annual Scientific Meeting (#AGS23; May 4-6). 

“We are delighted to be recognizing our AGS member colleagues for their collective dedication to the work of AGS,” noted G. Michael Harper, MD, AGSF, AGS Board Chair.  "Through their exceptional contributions to research, advocacy, teaching, and clinical care, they reflect the breath of geriatrics expertise and the passion that our members have for serving our community.”

Hailing from across the United States, this year’s fellows are:

• .@AmerGeriatrics Honors Expert & Emerging #Geriatrics Leaders at #AGS23 http://ow.ly/V3Pg50NY3za

New York (April 27, 2023) – The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) annually honors researchers, clinicians, educators, and emerging health professionals who have made outstanding contributions to high-quality, person-centered care for older adults. This year’s award recipients include 19 leaders representing the breadth of medical disciplines championing care for us all as we age. 

Clinical Student Research Award

• Matthew Ryan Cosmai 

Clinician of the Year Award

• Shelley R. McDonald, DO, PhD

David H. Solomon Memorial Public Service Award

• Alan Lazaroff, MD, AGSF

Dennis W. Jahnigen Memorial Award

• Dr. Alan Lazaroff to be honored with @AmerGeriatrics David H. Solomon Memorial Public Service Award at #AGS23 http://ow.ly/Mayu50NV52N

New York (April 26, 2023) — Today, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) announced that it will be honoring Alan Lazaroff, MD, AGSF with its David H. Solomon Memorial Public Service Award, for his passionate advocacy to better align Medicare payment to meet the unique healthcare needs of older adults and to improve care coordination for patients with chronic conditions.  

“Dr. Lazaroff has been involved with the work of the American Geriatrics Society for over 25 years,” said AGS President G. Michael Harper, MD, AGSF.  “When the AMA/Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) created a seat for geriatrics in 2012, he became the first occupant. In this role he effectively articulated the work of caring for older adults. His deep knowledge of the physician payment system has helped the AGS advocate to CMS for changes in how geriatrics health professionals are paid to prioritize reimbursement for services that improve care for older adults with multiple complex and chronic conditions. Like Dr. David Solomon, for whom this award is named, Dr. Lazaroff gives the AGS the gift of his time and expertise and I can think of no one more deserving of this award.”

• Today, the @AmerGeriatrics announced Shelley R. McDonald, DO, PhD, MCG of @DukeGeriatrics as the 2023 recipient of the AGS Clinician of the Year award. #AGS23 http://ow.ly/6s5350NQGPM

New York (April 25, 2022) — The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) today announced Shelley R. McDonald, DO, PhD, MCG, as 2023 Clinician of the Year. Dr. McDonald, who is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, will be honored at the 2023 AGS Annual Scientific Meeting (#AGS23) being held in Long Beach, CA, from May 4-6 (preconference day is May 3).

“Our 2023 Clinician of the year, Dr. Shelley McDonald, is a national champion for improved perioperative care of older adults undergoing surgery,” said AGS President G. Michael Harper, MD, AGSF. “She is the Geriatrics Medical Director of the Perioperative Optimization of Senior Health (POSH) program at Duke. In that role, she exemplifies the team-based approach to care that is the hallmark of geriatrics practice, always putting the older person at the center of care with a focus on their goals and needs. An extraordinary geriatrician, she has collaborated with surgical champions to reach across disciplines and specialties to build POSH in a way that is inspiring others to implement POSH at their own institutions.”

• Today, @AmerGeriatrics @HealthinAging announces Dr. Elizabeth Whitlock @LizWhitlockMD as the 2023 recipient of the Jeffrey H. Silverstein Memorial Award for Emerging Investigators in the Surgical and Related Medical Specialties http://ow.ly/7gGC50NOgkt

New York, NY (April 20, 2023) — The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and the AGS Health in Aging Foundation today announced that Elizabeth L. Whitlock, MD, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is the 2023 recipient of the Jeffrey H. Silverstein Memorial Award for Emerging Investigators in the Surgical and Related Medical Specialties. 

The award will be presented at the 2023 AGS Annual Scientific Meeting (#AGS23) which is being held in Long Beach, CA from May 4-6 (preconference day is May 3).  The award recognizes Dr. Whitlock for her cross-cutting work in geriatrics, anesthesiology, and epidemiology.

• At #AGS23, Dr. Dae Kim (@DaeKimMD) to deliver Thomas and Catherine Yoshikawa Outstanding Scientific Achievement for Clinical Investigation Award Lecture on Unleashing Frailty from Laboratory to Real World http://ow.ly/7IQC50NN8fg

New York (April 19, 2022) — The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and the AGS Health in Aging Foundation (HiAF) today announced that the 2023 Thomas and Catherine Yoshikawa Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement in Clinical Investigation will be awarded to Dae Kim, MD, MPH, ScD,  Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Associate Scientist at the Marcus Institute for Aging Research at Hebrew SeniorLife, and Attending Geriatrician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. 

The award will be presented at the AGS 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting (#AGS23), May 4-6 (pre-conference day May 3).  At the conference, Dr. Kim will deliver a lecture on Unleashing Frailty from Laboratory to Real World.

• Congratulations to Dr. Kathryn Denson of @MedicalCollege, @MCWmedger, on being awarded the 2023 Dennis W. Jahnigen Memorial Award for her work advancing geriatrics education. She will receive the award at #AGS23 http://ow.ly/90ex50NKIK6

New York (April 17, 2023) — Today, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) announced that Kathryn Denson, MD, will be honored with the Dennis W. Jahnigen Memorial Award for her many contributions to improving the knowledge, competence, and skills of all health professionals who care for older adults. Dr. Denson is recognized for her lasting innovation and exceptional teaching expertise and is celebrated for her many important contributions to the advancement of Geriatrics education.