- Dr. J. Eugene Lammers, clinician-educator recognized for building interprofessional collaboration when caring for older adults, named @AmerGeriatrics Clinician of the Year at #AGS18 http://ow.ly/s1zb30jbjL1
New York (March 27, 2018)—The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) today named J. Eugene Lammers, MD, MPH, FACP, AGSF, its 2018 Clinician of the Year. Dr Lammers is Medical Director and Primary Care Physician at Mercy LIFE of Alabama, where he is part of an interdisciplinary team caring for 175 older adults. Dr. Lammers will be honored at the AGS 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting (#AGS18; May 3-5 in Orlando, Fla.).
“Dr. Lammers has led care at health systems across the U.S., and has consistently been recognized for seeking out better means to deliver care in his communities,” noted Ellen Flaherty, PhD, APRN, AGSF, AGS Board Chair. “That desire to improve person-centered care for us all as we age is a hallmark of the AGS, just as Dr. Lammers is an exemplar of what we value in exceptional geriatrics clinicians.”
“I have been so fortunate throughout my career to work with peers in nursing, social work, rehabilitation, pharmacy, and other fields that have made it possible to provide the highest quality of care for frail older adults,” observed Dr. Lammers.
Dr. Lammers has pioneered innovative approaches to care but also has worked ardently to ensure that all members of his healthcare teams are fully empowered and able to embrace their roles in promoting health and independence for older people.
Among many responsibilities, Dr. Lammers presently oversees quality of care for the Mercy LIFE of Alabama PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly), with its focus on helping chronically ill, under-resourced older individuals who are trying to stay in the community and avoid the nursing home. He is recognized nationally by his PACE peers, serving as a board member for Mercy LIFE-West Philadelphia and as a volunteer member of the Clinical Advisory Committee for the Care Kinesis PACE Pharmacy. He also has been a frequent collaborator for presentations at the National PACE Association.
Dr. Lammers has been involved in clinical education throughout his career, and since 2011 has been serving as an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, where he received his medical degree. His ability and willingness both to teach and learn from students and PACE colleagues alike has helped to shape person-centered, team-based care not only in his native Alabama but also across the country, where Dr. Lammers’ trainees continue to promote high-quality care for older adults. Dr. Lammers is also a member Healthy Gulf Coast Care Transitions Board, tasked with improving care transitions into and out of hospitals and nursing homes.
The AGS Clinician of the Year Award recognizes exceptional health professionals who deliver outstanding care to older adults and who model the importance of geriatrics for our country. It is one of several honors conferred by the AGS at its Annual Scientific Meeting. The 2018 award recipients include more than 15 health leaders representing the depth and breadth of disciplines championing care for older adults. For more information, visit Meeting.AmericanGeriatrics.org.
About the American Geriatrics Society
Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a nationwide, not-for-profit society of geriatrics healthcare professionals that has—for more than 75 years—worked to improve the health, independence, and quality of life of older people. Its nearly 6,000 members include geriatricians, geriatric nurses, social workers, family practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and internists. The Society provides leadership to healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public by implementing and advocating for programs in patient care, research, professional and public education, and public policy. For more information, visit AmericanGeriatrics.org.
About the AGS Clinician of the Year Award
The AGS Clinician of the Year Award was established to recognize the contributions of practitioners to quality health care for older people and the importance of the geriatrics clinician in our healthcare delivery system. Through awardees’ efforts, scientific advances are integrated into the practice of geriatrics, resulting in improved well-being and quality of life for older adults.
About the AGS Annual Scientific Meeting
The AGS Annual Scientific Meeting is the premier educational event in geriatrics, providing the latest information on clinical care, research on aging, and innovative models of care delivery. More than 2,500 nurses, pharmacists, physicians, physician assistants, social workers, long-term care and managed care providers, healthcare administrators, and others will convene May 3-5, 2018 (pre-conference program on May 2), at the Walt Disney World® Swan & Dolphin Resort in Orlando, Fla., to advance geriatrics knowledge and skills through state-of-the-art educational sessions and research presentations. For more information, visit Meeting.AmericanGeriatrics.org.