Joseph G. Ouslander, M.D.

Biography

Joseph G. Ouslander, M.D. is Professor of Geriatric Medicine at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine of Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Boca Raton Florida. Dr. Ouslander is an internationally recognized geriatrician and is a past-President of the American Geriatrics Society, and serves as the Executive Editor of the Society’s Journal. He is a co-author of Essentials of Clinical Geriatrics and an editor of Principles of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology. Learn more about Dr. Ouslander's research.

Education

• 1973: BA, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
• 1977: MD, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
• 1977-1980: Residency in Internal Medicine, Case Western Reserve
• 1980-1982: Fellowship in Geriatric Medicine, UCLA

Work History

• 2014- Present: Chair, Department of Integrated Medicine, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
• 2013-2014: Interim Chair, Department of Integrated Medicine, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
• 2009-Present: Professor and Senior Associate, Dean for Geriatric Programs, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
• 2008-Present: Director, Institute for Quality Aging, Boca Raton Community Hospital, Boca Raton, Florida
• 2008-Present: Courtesy Professor, Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida
• 2008-Present: Voluntary Professor of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
• 2008-Present: Associate Director, Division of Gerontology & Geriatric, Medicine University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida
• 2008-Present: Consultant, Loring Institute for Research and Education at MorseLife, West Palm Beach, Florida
• 2006-Present: Clinical Consultant, the Georgia Medical Care Foundation (the Georgia Medicare QIO), Atlanta, Georgia
• 2006-Present: Collaborator, Stein Gerontological Institute Miami, Miami, Florida
• 2002-2008: Research Scientist, Birmingham/Atlanta VA GRECC, Birmingham, GA
• 2001-2008: Chief Medical Officer, Wesley Woods Center of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
• 2001-2008: Director, Emory Center for Health in Aging, Atlanta, Georgia
• 2001-2002: Clinical Director, Atlanta VA Rehabilitation Research and Development Center, Atlanta, Georgia
• 2000-2008: Professor of Nursing, Nell Hodgson School of Nursing Emory, Atlanta, Georgia
• 1998-2001: Vice President for Professional Services, Wesley Woods Center of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
• 1996-2008: Professor of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
• 1996-2002: Chair, Professional Staff Strategic Committee, Wesley Woods Center of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
• 1996-2001: Director, Atlanta VA Rehabilitation Research and Development Center, Atlanta, Georgia
• 1995-1996: Professor of Medicine, UCLA Multicampus Program in Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Los Angeles, California
• 1989-1996: Associate Director, Borun Center for Gerontological Research, Los Angeles, California
• 1987-1996: Medical Director, Director of Research and Education, Jewish Home for the Aging of Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
• 1987-1996: Vice President of Medical Affairs, Jewish Home for the Aging of Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
• 1987-1995: Associate Professor, UCLA Multicampus Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Los Angeles, California
• 1996-2008: Director, Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia

Scholarly Activity

Peer-Reviewed Publications

• Ouslander, J.G., Handler, S.M. (2015).  Consensus-Derived Interventions to Reduce Acute Care Transfer (INTERACT)-Compatible Order Sets for Common Conditions Associated with Potentially Avoidable Hospitalizations.  J Am Med Dir Assoc. pii: S1525-8610(15), 00177-2. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2015.02.016. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 25841325
• Walsh, EG, Wiener, JM, Haber, S, Bragg, A, Freiman, M, and Ouslander, JG: Potentially Avoidable Hospitalizations of Dually Eligible Medicare/Medicaid Beneficiaries from Nursing Facility and Home and Community-Based Services Waiver Programs J Am Geriatr Soc 60: 821-829, 2012.
• Ouslander, JG and Maslow, K: Geriatrics and the Triple Aim: Defining Preventable Hospitalizations in the Long Term Care Population.J Am Geriatr Soc 60: 2313-2318, 2012.
• Ouslander, JG, Lamb, G, Tappen, R, et al:Interventions to Reduce Hospitalizations from Nursing Homes: Evaluation of the INTERACT II Collaborative Quality Improvement Project. J Amer Geriatr Soc 59[4]:745–753, 2011.
• Ouslander, JG and Berenson, RA. Reducing Unnecessary Hospitalizations of Nursing Home Residents. N Engl J Med. 2011; 365(9): 1165-1167.
• Ouslander, JG, Lamb, G, Perloe, M et al: Potentially Avoidable Hospitalizations of Nursing Home Residents: Frequency, Causes, and Costs. J Am Ger Soc 58:627–635, 2010.

Review Articles:

• Ouslander, JG, Bonner, A, Herndon, L, and Shutes, J: The INTERACT Quality Improvement Program: An Overview for Medical Directors and Primary Care Clinicians in Long-Term Care. J Amer Med Dir Assn 2014; 15: 162-170.

Editorials

• Ouslander, J.G., Schnelle, J.F., Han, J. (2015). Is this really an emergency? Reducing potentially preventable emergency department visits among nursing home residents. JAMDA 16(5); 354-7.
• Halter, J, Ouslander, J, Tinetti, M, et al (eds), Hazzard’s Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, 6^th Edition, McGraw Hill, New York, (2009).
• Kane RL, Ouslander JG, Abrass IB: Essentials of Clinical Geriatrics, 7^th Edition, McGraw Hill, New York, (2013).
• Morley, J, Tolson, D, Ouslander, J, Vellas, B: Nursing Home Care: A Core Curriculum for the International Association for Gerontology and Geriatrics. McGraw Hill, New York, (2013).

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Current Grant Support

• PI- Florida Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriters Association – Evaluation of the STAR Program $750,000, (2015-2017)
• Co-investigator – Palm Healthcare Foundation - Simulation Training on INTERACT for Caregivers, $125,000, (2015-2016)
• PI, NIH RO1 – Interventions to Reduce Avoidable Hospitalizations of Nursing Home Residents $2,000,000 (2012-2015)
• PI, (Subcontract) CMS Innovations Project Awarded to Vanderbilt – Reducing Hospital Readmissions from Post-Acute Care $1,700,000 (2012 – 2015)
• PI, (Subcontract) CMS Innovations Project Awarded to UNTHSC – Implementing INTERACT Across the Care Continuum $7,000,000 (2012 – 2015)
• Co-PI, FAU Healthy Aging Research Initiative $500,000 (2010-2013; ongoing project)
• Co-investigator, PCORI grant to develop ethnically and culturally sensitive tools for decision making on hospitalization from nursing homes $500,000 (2013-2015)
• Co-investigator, VA Create Grant – program project grant on improving long-term care (PI Vince Mor, Brown University/Providence VA) – subcontract to test INTERACT in VA Community Living Centers $324,000 (for IPAs through FAU) 2013-2015
• Co-investigator, NIH R15 grant – Chair Yoga in Older Adults ($500,000) 2013-2016

Professional Affiliations and Awards

• 1973 Phi Beta Kappa - John Hopkins University
• 1973 National Collegiate Athletic Association, Postgraduate Scholarship
• 1977 Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine
• 1982 - 1987 National Institute on Aging/NIH Academic Award (Five Year Career Development Award)
• 1990 - 1999 National Institute on Aging/NIH MERIT Award (Method to Extend Research in Time)
• 1997 American Journal of Nursing, 1997 Book of the year Award (for Medical Care in the Nursing Home)
• 1999 - 2001 President/Chairman of the Board, American Geriatrics Society 
• 2000 Polisher Award for Applied Gerontological Research
• 2001 - 2005 National Institute on Aging Career Leadership Award 
• 2003 National Association for Continence Champion Award

National and International Service

NIH/VA Review Activities

• 2010 Ad hoc reviewer NIA Aging Study Section 
• 2006, 2009 Special Study Section, NIH/NIA, Review for Claude Pepper Older American Independence Centers
• 2002 Steering Committee, AHRQ/Patient Safety Research Coordinating Center
• 1999 Special Study Section (Chairman), NIH/NIA, Older American Independence Centers
• 1998 Site Visit Team (Chair), Houston VA Rehabilitation Research & Development Center 
• 1992 Special Study Section (Chairman), NIH/NIA, Review for Claude Pepper Older American Independence Centers
• 1990-93 Monitoring Board, NIH/NIA FICSIT Trials
• 1987-93 Data Monitoring Board, VA Cooperative Study #246, Randomized Trial of TUR

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

• 2012-Present Member, Nursing Home Five-Star Technical Expert Panel
• 2012-Present Member, Technical Expert Panel, Quality Measures for Nursing Homes
• 2011- 2012 Consultant, Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services Nursing Home Quality Assurance and Performance program
• 2009-2011 Technical Expert Panels on Avoidable Hospitalizations 
• 2003 Technical Advisory Panel on MDS 3.0, Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services