Dr. Lisa Tank of @HackensackUMC @RutgersU named @AmerGeriatrics Clinician of the Year #AGS16
New York (April 5, 2016)—The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) has named Lisa Tank, MD, FACP, of Hackensack University Medical Center (HackensackUMC) and the Rutgers New Jersey Medical Center, the 2016 AGS Clinician of the Year. Among her many accomplishments spanning a career of more than 20 years, Dr. Tank led the way for HackensackUMC to become the first hospital in the nation to earn a Disease Specific Certification (DSC) in Delirium, the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal and the first geriatrics certification of its kind in the country. She will be honored for her accomplishments at the AGS 2016 Annual Scientific Meeting, May 19-21, in Long Beach, Calif.
“An AGS member since 2001, Dr. Tank is known as a highly skilled geriatrician and effective administrator who has brought those two important career paths together to advance expert eldercare,” notes AGS President Steven R. Counsell, MD, AGSF. “Dr. Tank has championed innovative clinical programs across multiple care settings and medical and surgical specialties, and she’s never lost sight of the compassion, respect, and understanding seen across her teaching and clinical practice—true hallmarks of an AGS leader.”
“I am deeply appreciative of this AGS honor,” said Dr. Tank. “It further motivates and inspires me to advance my mission to provide the highest-quality, person-centered, evidence-based care while partnering with interdisciplinary teams and subspecialties. The goal is to inspire and educate students, residents, and fellows in all disciplines to improve patient care and preserve quality of care for older adults.”
Director of Medical Affairs and chief, Division of Geriatric Medicine, HackensackUMC, Dr. Tank has been instrumental to the upward trajectory of HackensackUMC’s geriatrics program, which in 2012 attained Level 3 Certification from the Patient-Centered Medical Home Program by the National Committee for Quality Assurance, the highest level possible. In her tenure at HackensackUMC, Dr. Tank has also helped to implement and expand several core programs serving older adults and students of geriatric nursing and medicine—from the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) to platforms for ensuring that geriatrics remains front-and-center in her institution’s training protocols.
Dr. Tank served as chief of the HackensackUMC Geriatrics Fellowship Program from 2007 to 2015 and also serves as assistant professor, Internal Medicine, at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. She has further distinguished herself through her selection as a member of the 2015-2016 class of the Greater New York Hospital Association/United Hospital Fund Clinical Quality Fellowship Program. Her expertise as a clinician is matched only by her substantial contributions to medical education and geriatrics research.
“On behalf of our entire team, I want to congratulate Dr. Tank on this well-deserved recognition,” said Robert C. Garrett, president and chief executive officer of the Hackensack University Health Network. “Dr. Tank’s dedication to providing dignified and dynamic care for the growing number of seniors in our community has improved the lives of her patients and paved the way for HackensackUMC to be a leader in the field.”
“We are proud of the services we offer to older adults, as well as the national reputation we have earned for providing compassionate, clinically excellent care to our senior population,” said Ihor Sawczuk, MD, executive vice president and chief medical officer at HackensackUMC. “Dr. Tank’s leadership has helped to make this possible, while providing the highest level of care for her patients and modeling it for her colleagues.”
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’s growing older adult population. It is one of several honors conferred by the AGS at its Annual Scientific Meeting—held this year in Long Beach, Calif., May 19-21. The 2016 award recipients include more than 15 healthcare leaders representing the depth and breadth of disciplines championing eldercare.
About the American Geriatrics Society
Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a nationwide, not-for-profit society of geriatrics healthcare professionals dedicated to improving 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 patients.
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 2,000 physicians, nurses, pharmacists, physician assistants, social workers, long-term care and managed care providers, healthcare administrators, and others will convene May 19-21, 2016 (pre-conference program on May 18), at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center in Long Beach, Calif., to advance geriatrics knowledge and skills through state-of-the-art educational sessions and research presentations.
About Hackensack University Medical Center
HackensackUMC, a 775- bed nonprofit teaching and research hospital located in Bergen County, NJ, is the largest provider of inpatient and outpatient services in the state. Founded in 1888 as the county’s first hospital, it is the flagship hospital of Hackensack University Health Network, one of the largest health networks in the state comprised of 1,717 beds, more than 10,000 team members and 3,300 credentialed physicians. HackensackUMC was listed as the number one hospital in New Jersey in U.S. News & World Report’s 2015-16 Best Hospital rankings - maintaining its place atop the NJ rankings since the rating system was introduced. It was also named one of the top four New York Metro Area hospitals. HackensackUMC is the only hospital in New Jersey, New York and New England to be named one of Healthgrades America's 50 Best Hospitals™ nine consecutive years, and receive the Healthgrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence™ 13 years in a row. The medical center is one of the top 25 green hospitals in the country according to Practice Greenhealth, and received 24 Gold Seals of Approval™ by The Joint Commission – more than any other hospital in the country. It was the first hospital in New Jersey and second in the nation to become a Magnet® recognized hospital for nursing excellence; receiving its fifth consecutive designation in 2014. HackensackUMC has created an entire campus of award-winning care, including: the John Theurer Cancer Center; the Heart & Vascular Hospital; and the Sarkis and Siran Gabrellian Women’s and Children’s Pavilion, which houses the Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital and Donna A. Sanzari Women’s Hospital, which was designed with The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center and listed on the Green Guide’s list of Top 10 Green Hospitals in the U.S. HackensackUMC is the Hometown Hospital of the New York Giants and the New York Red Bulls and is Official Medical Services Provider to The Barclays PGA Golf Tournament. It remains committed to its community through fundraising and community events. To learn more, visit: www.HackensackUMC.org.