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DEPARTMENT OF GERIATRIC MEDICINE:

The chair of the department is Patricia Lanoie Blanchette, M.D., MPH, who has responsibility for overall administration. The medical school’s Geriatric Medicine Program was initiated in July, 1984 as a dean’s office program. Over the years, the program developed extensive education, research, clinical and community service activities. The program has achieved national and international prominence and has attracted significant extramural funding in support of its education and research activities. Full department status for the program was recommended by Dean Cadman in 2001 in the medical school’s reorganization plan, making it the fourth full department of Geriatric Medicine among U.S. medical schools. Department status was formally approved by the UH Board of Regents on January 15, 2004.

GERIATRIC AND FAMILY CONSULTATION SERVICE (GRCS):

The GRCS is a teaching clinical service of Kuakini Medical Center in conjunction with the Geriatric Education Center and the Department of Geriatric Medicine of the John A. Burns School of Medicine. It is an interdisciplinary outpatient consultation program for elderly patients referred by their primary care physician. Patients are seen by appointment two half-days weekly for Geriatric Medicine and once weekly for Geriatric Psychiatry. Family members are encouraged to attend the appointments. The team consists of a Geriatrician, Geriatric Medicine Fellow, Medical Social Worker, Geriatric Psychiatrist and Geriatric Psychiatry Fellow. Health professions students are often in attendance. Patients seen in GFCS often present a combination of complex medical and psycho-social problems. Often, the patient and family are seen for several visits over a period of a month or more until the problems are resolved or as well-managed as possible. The GFCS is not staffed for urgent or emergency visits and there is often a several month waiting list for appointments. Patients must be referred by their primary care physician. The GFCS will remain in contact with the primary physician and will issue a report to the physician when the consultation process is completed.

Patients are seen at Kuakini Medical Center in the Hale Pulama Mau, 347 No. Kuakini St., Honolulu, HI 96817

For further information, contact: Kamal Masaki, M.D. at 523-8461 or via e-mail at km1@hawaii.rr.com

Copyright 2005-06, Department of Geriatric Medicine
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