Week In Review

The recorded AGS webinar on coding and payment updates for 2026 under Medicare that took effect on January 1 is now available on Geriatrics Care Online. Hosted by Drs. Peter Hollmann and Robert Zorowitz-both recognized for their expertise in payment and coding-the webinar reviewed changes finalized for 2026 such as allowing for G2211, the visit complexity add-on code, to be billed with the home and residence evaluation and management (E/M) visit codes, and removing frequency limitations on Medicare telehealth subsequent care services in inpatient and nursing facility settings. The webinar also covers using the advanced primary care management (APCM) services codes and valuation, which recognizes elements that we consider to be vital components of primary care, including team-based care and an ongoing, longitudinal relationship with patients.

Access the webinar recording and PowerPoint slides by clicking here. 

A new study conducted by Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJ) "YOOMI: Effect of AI-Guided Gamified Physical Therapy Exercise Software on Inpatient Mobility" was recently published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS). The study, a randomized controlled pilot trial evaluating the effect of an AI-guided, gamified physical therapy exercise program on inpatient mobility in older adults, focused on improving functional outcomes and preventing mobility decline during hospitalization among patients enrolled in the AGS CoCare®: HELP (Hospital Elder Life Program). Trained volunteers, who play an essential role as part of the HELP program interdisciplinary team, played an essential role in the study by supporting patients safely during the intervention. Click here to read the article in JAGS.

AGS CoCare®: HELP is an effective and innovative model of hospital care designed to prevent both delirium and functional decline. To learn more about AGS CoCare®: HELP, visit our website here.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 – 2027 Emerging Leaders in Aging (ELIA) Program, a collaboration between AGS and Tideswell at University of California, San Francisco. This program is now inviting applications for its 12th cohort of leadership scholars. Applications are due Monday, February 2, 2026 at 5PM Pacific Standard Time. 

Who Should Apply: The program benefits health care professionals, generally 4-10 years out from training, who are embarking on a relatively new leadership endeavor with challenges that involve leading others and leading change to improve the health and lives of older adults. Past scholars are interprofessional, and lead clinical, research, or educational programs.  

Special thanks to the Tideswell community of supporters who have made this possible. To add your support or for questions, please e-mail us at Leadership@TideswellUCSF.org.

Check out an exclusive sneak-peek of one of #AGS26's most highly anticipated sessions: 

• CANNABIS AND THE OLDER ADULT PRE-CONFERENCE SESSION 
  Additional fee session

Sponsored by the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use Among Older Adults Special Interest Group and the Achieving Health Equity Among Diverse Older Adults (AHEAD) Special Interest Group, this  interactive, interprofessional pre-conference session will provide health professionals with the knowledge and skills to be able to discuss cannabis with their older adult patients and/or care partners, as well as assess for risky use and apply harm reduction strategies.

Early Bird registration is open for #AGS26 now! Register on or before February 28th for the biggest savings available. Register here!

Did you miss our end of the year sale? Not to worry! AGS members can still get 20% off any print or app purchase of Geriatrics at Your Fingertips® when you order at GeriatricsCareOnline.org! That is 20% off - in addition to your AGS member discount!

Order yours today! Discount is automatically applied for AGS members at checkout, no code needed.

The AGS Opportunities for Investigators resource serves as a central location for geriatrics and aging-related opportunities such as grant funding, presentation or publication submissions, travel stipends for scholarly meetings, networking events, comment periods, and in-person or virtual meetings and webinars. An opportunity we'd like to include is:

• The Center for Aging and Serious Illness is accepting applications for 2026-2027 cohort of the Dementia Palliative Care Clinical Trial Program through February 13th.. This 10-month-long Program includes a combination of virtual small group meetings and a 5-day in-person Institute.

• The Network for Investigation of Delirium: Unifying Scientists is accepting applications for the 2026 NIDUS Boot Camp now through April 6, 2026. The over-goal of the Boot Camp is developing a multidisciplinary pipeline of well-trained translational, epidemiologic, and clinical delirium researchers.

  The MyAGSOnline Events Calendar is a valuable resource to discover and register for upcoming events, webinars, and other opportunities. A couple of events we would like to highlight include: 

• The National Alliance for Caregiving will be hosting the webinar, Caregiver Insights Across the States: Translating Data into Local Action, on Tuesday, January 27th at 1pm ET / 10am to hear of newly released state-level caregiver profiles for a rich view of new caregiving trends, challenges, and opportunities across the U.S.
• The Hospital at Home Users Group, in partnership with the American Academy of Home Care Medicine, will hold their latest webinar, Finding Patients Faster: Early Transfer Recruitment Strategies for Hospitals at Home, on Jan 27, 2026 from 4pm ET / 1pm PT.This webinar will explore common challenges to early transfer recruitment and discuss the strategies to employ to improve recruitment in HAH programs.
• The Group Medical Visits (GMVs) for Older Adults SIG Spring Meeting will be held on Thursday, February 5 from 4:30-5:30 PM ET / 1:30-2:30pm PT.

• Save the date for the latest AGS Fellows-In-Training Section webinar happening on Thursday, February 26 from 4:30-5:30pm ET. This webinar will feature an expert overview of key Medicare updates and billing basics by Rebecca Masutani, MD. Attendees will also learn about trainee-focused resources and practical tips for networking and making the most of a virtual annual meeting platform from Ryan Chippendale, MD.

   

Have an opportunity or event you'd like to see listed? Email the details to Jennifer Fisher at jfisher@americangeriatrics.org