Who We Are

West Health

Solely funded by philanthropists Gary and Mary West, West Health is a family of nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations including the Gary and Mary West Foundation and Gary and Mary West Health Institute in San Diego, and the Gary and Mary West Health Policy Center in Washington, D.C. West Health is dedicated to lowering healthcare costs to enable seniors to successfully age in place with access to high-quality, affordable health and support services that preserve and protect their dignity, quality of life and independence.

UVA Geriatrics

UVA Geriatrics focuses on achieving the highest possible level of physical and mental function for older adults through comprehensive, patient-centered clinical care; expert medical education through the learning continuum; and innovative and practical research in many areas. Geriatricians at UVA work with our patients and their care team to balance the impact of aging, diseases and medications with goals of maximizing function, cognition, independence and safety. We guide our patients to develop individualized health goals.

MATRC

The Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center (MATRC) is one of two national and twelve regional federally funded Telehealth Resources Centers (TRCs). MATRC seeks to advance the adoption and utilization of telehealth and telehealth best practices within the MATRC region as a way to facilitate access to quality health care in rural and underserved communities and populations. MATRC works collaboratively with the other federally funded TRCs to accomplish the same nationally.

About the Center of Excellence for Telehealth and Aging

A growing senior population is living longer with more complex conditions and is at the highest risk of complications associated with delayed healthcare. At the same time, there is a shortfall of healthcare professionals specialized in caring for older adults. These trends were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The uptake of telehealth was a solution stemming from an urgent need to increase the productivity of existing healthcare providers and reduce potentially harmful exposures for older adults. But its rapid expansion didn’t allow time to develop comprehensive guidance to optimize telehealth use for the older adult population.

In response, West Health Institute (WHI), the University of Virginia (UVA), and the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center (MATRC), convened a collaborative of experts in geriatrics, telehealth, and advocacy to explore issues involved in using telehealth to serve older adults. This collaborative, the Collaborative for Telehealth and Aging (C4TA) developed a comprehensive set of provider-focused telehealth principles and guidelines to provide guidance on age-friendly telehealth implementation and design. WHI, UVA, and MATRC partnered again to create the Center of Excellence for Telehealth and Aging (CE4TA) to provide ongoing guidance in advancing the safe and effective use of telehealth with older adults.

The CE4TA is a unique platform to foster a national discussion and movement to implement age-inclusive telehealth for older adults. The mission of CE4TA is to be a trusted central hub of resources and community for age-inclusive telehealth-related subject areas. We aim to empower providers and health systems to successfully implement safe and effective telehealth programs for older adults by helping them quickly and easily access the best, up-to-date information. Our immediate goal is to build both awareness and endorsement for our Principles and Guidelines to Advance Telehealth for Older Adults and a community committed to age-friendly telehealth delivery. Our long-term vision is to evolve and expand best practices that can decrease barriers, improve adoption, and establish quality standards and competencies in the area of telehealth for older adults.

C4TA Members

The Collaborative for Telehealth and Aging (C4TA) is a unique and robust group of subject matter experts including geriatricians, experienced telehealth providers, health system administrators, and older adult and patient advocates who are committed to advocating for age-inclusive telehealth. The Collaborative advised and developed a set of principles and guidelines for implementing age-inclusive telehealth.

VP Clinical Strategy and Implementation, Medically Home

Senior Director, NEHI-Network for Excellence in Health Innovation

Chief Medical Officer for Senior Care Office, and Chief Executive Officer for Care Advances Thru Technology, Medical Director for post-acute care at Northeast Georgia Health System

Medical Director and Clinical Officer Family Medicine, Senior Care, Avel eCare and Associate professor at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine

Claire B. Cruse, MPH

Senior Director, NEHI-Network for Excellence in Health Innovation

Claire combines her health policy and health services research background, deep understanding of issues that cut across health care industry stakeholders, and focus on health care innovation to direct research programs for NEHI. Claire joined NEHI after more than 10 years at Deloitte, most recently leading strategy and operations for the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions and Deloitte Health Equity Institute. Before Deloitte, as a trained gerontologist, she worked in organizations focused on aging services, advocacy, and research from the local to national level. She is a member of the American Public Health Association and the American Society on Aging.

Swati Gaur, MD, MBA, CMD, AGSF

Chief Medical Officer for Senior Care Office, and Chief Executive Officer for Care Advances Thru Technology, Medical Director for post-acute care at Northeast Georgia Health System

Dr. Gaur is the Chief Medical Officer for Senior Care Office, and Chief Executive Officer for Care Advances Thru Technology, advancing innovations in geriatric care. She is Medical Director for post-acute care at Northeast Georgia Health System. She is also the Medical Director for Alliant Health Solutions, a CMS Quality Improvement Organization. She is a member of Georgia Strike and Support Team with Georgia Department of Public Health and University of Georgia. She is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Augusta University. She serves on the Health Systems Innovation- Economics and Technology Committee with the American Geriatrics Society. She has been an active member in AMDA The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine where she serves as a treasurer and a board member.

Victoria Walker, MD, CMD, FAAFP

Medical Director and Clinical Officer Family Medicine, Senior Care, Avel eCare and Associate professor at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine

Dr. Walker is a clinical associate professor at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, the Medical and Clinical Officer of Avel eCare Senior Care program and serves on the board of the South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care and the board of Advancing Excellence in Long-Term Care Collaborative. Dr. Walker is an active member of AMDA The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. She currently chairs the Public Policy Committee, serves as a reviewer for JAMDA, and on the state chapter board.

Kevin Biese, MD

Director of the Division of Geriatrics Emergency Medicine and Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine, UNC School of Medicine

Dr. Biese serves as an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine (EM) and Internal Medicine, Vice-Chair of Academic Affairs, and Director of the Division of Geriatrics Emergency Medicine at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill School of Medicine as well as a Vice-Chair of the Board of the UNC Health Alliance and UNC Senior Alliance. He he is the co-leader of the national Geriatric Emergency Department Collaborative, serving as PI of the implementation arm. He is also chair of the Board of Governors for the ACEP Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation Program which has now improved the quality of care in over 420 emergency departments in 40 states and 4 countries.

Christine Seel Ritchie MD, MSPH

Kenneth L. Minaker Endowed Chair in Geriatric Medicine, Research Director for the MGH Division of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine, Director for the Mongan Institute Center for Aging and Serious Illness, Director for the MGH Dementia Care Collaborative, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School

Dr. Ritchie is Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Center for Aging and Serious Illness at Massachusetts General Hospital Mongan Institute. She co-directs the National Home-based Primary Care Learning Network and serves on the Geriatrics and Palliative Care Standing Committee of the National Quality Forum.

Michael Kurliand, RN

VP of Clinical Quality and Integration, MedWand

Michael Kurliand, RN is the Vice President of Clinical Quality and Integration at MedWand. Michael ensures the organization meets clinical standards and also leads customer implementation and integration. He has extensive experience in program execution, operations, and business development for pediatric, adult, and geriatric populations across the acute, ambulatory, post-acute, long-term care, and home-based sectors.

Kendell M. Cannon, MD

Chief Medical Officer, Pine Park Health and Clinical Assistant Professor, Stanford School of Medicine

Dr. Cannon's clinical work, fellowship training, and passion focuses on redesigning care for people as they age. She believes that every person deserves the right to choose care that matches what matters most to them. Dr. Cannon continues to see patients and teach students and residents about value-based care, design-thinking in medicine, and person-centered care. She has previously served as a Hospice Medical Director, Chief Clinical Officer, and a Founding Medical Director and PACE Physician.

Lauren Dunning, JD, MPH

Director, Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging

Lauren Dunning is a director at the Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging, where she develops strategic initiatives and collaborations that advance healthy longevity and financial security across the life course. Her current work focuses on policy and systems solutions to integrate health and home care through technology. Before joining the Milken Institute, Dunning served in key policy leadership roles over ten years at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

Harold Pincus, MD

Professor & Vice Chair, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University

Dr. Pincus is professor and vice chair of the Department of Psychiatry and co-director of the Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research at Columbia University. Dr. Pincus is also senior scientist at the RAND Corporation and national director of the Health and Aging Policy Fellowship. Appointed to the editorial boards of 12 scientific journals, he has published over 500 scientific publications on health services research, science policy, research career development, and the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders.

Adam Perry, MD

Chief Medical Officer, At Home Harmony and Medical Director, DispatchHealth

Dr. Perry is a geriatrician focused on the the design and dissemination of home- and senior living-based acute and primary care models for high-needs older adults. He is Chief Medical Officer of At Home Harmony and a Medical Director with DispatchHealth. Previously he was Medical Director with the Innovation Unit at ChenMed, core faculty with the Geriatric Emergency Department Collaborative, and a community emergency physician.

Bruce Leff, MD

Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Dr. Leff is the Director of the Center for Transformative Geriatric Research at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His research focuses on novel models of care delivery for older adults, issues related to multi-morbidity, risk prediction, performance measurement, and quality measurement and improvement, with an emphasis on home and community-based models of care including Hospital at Home, home-based primary care, CAPABLE, and others. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation and the editorial board of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Scott Code

VP, Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST), LeadingAge

Scott Code is the Vice President of the Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST) at LeadingAge with over 15 years of experience helping aging service providers strategically adopt and implement technology. CAST is leading the charge to expedite the development, evaluation and adoption of emerging technologies that can improve the aging experience. Scott has Master's degree in both Gerontology and Business Administration, providing him with the unique ability to both evaluate and implement new technology across the care continuum.

Katelyn A. Darling

Director, Operations TeleSpecialty

Katelyn A. Darling is the Director of Operations in the Department of Connected Care at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Katelyn Darling has worked in Health Care for over 15 years, starting at Washington County Mental Health Services with the Emergency Screeners and at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center managing the Department of Gastroenterology. Katelyn earned her Associates Degree from Hesser College, her Bachelor’s Degree in Health Care Administration from Granite State College, and her Medical Assistant Certificate from VT Community College.

Kevin M. Curtis, MD, MS

Medical Director & Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine

Dr. Curtis is the Medical Director of Connected Care and the Center for Telehealth at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health. Dr. Curtis has been at Dartmouth-Hitchcock since 2002 with prior roles that include co-founding the Emergency Medicine Residency and serving as its initial Program Director, acting as the Emergency Medicine Research Director and the Assistant Medical Director of Emergency Services, and serving as the Medical Director of TeleEmergency. He earned his medical degree from the Georgetown University School of Medicine and his Masters in Health Care Delivery Science from the Tuck School of Business and the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

Veronica Rivera, MD

Associate Professor, Ichan School of Medicine, Mount Sinai

Veronica Rivera, MD is an Associate Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in the Departments of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Family Medicine and Community Health, and Medical Education. Clinically, she provides geriatrics primary care at the Coffey Geriatrics Practice at the Martha Stewart Center for Living at Mount Sinai, where she also serves as Medical Director. She also sees patients at the Institute for Family Health, one of the largest federally qualified health center networks in New York State. Her interests include improving geriatrics education for primary care providers, improving geriatric primary care for underserved patients, and supporting efforts for a more diverse medicine workforce.

Laurie Archbald-Pannone, MD, MPH, AGSF, FACP

Associate Professor of Geriatrics, University of Virginia

Laurie Archbald-Pannone, MD, MPH, is Claude Moore Associate Professor of Geriatrics, in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Virginia. Dr. Archbald-Pannone has an active clinical Geriatrics practice and is deeply involved in medical education, serving as Assistant Dean of Student Affairs for the UVA School of Medicine. She serves as Medical Director for the Center of Excellence in Telehealth and Aging and with the Collaborative with the goal of to develop systems and protocols for optimization of telemedicine as a tool in the care of geriatric patients.

Nancy Wexler, DBH, MPH

Program Officer, The John A. Hartford Foundation

Nancy Wexler, DBH, MPH, is a Program Officer at The John A. Hartford Foundation. She has more than 16 years of experience in developing and managing integrated care delivery and population health models aimed at improving the quality, value, and experience of care. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2019, Dr. Wexler served as Director of Innovation and Collaborative Care for Banner University Health Plans, where she developed care programs for older adults with complex needs and created alternative payment models and payer-provider partnerships. With the University of Arizona Center on Aging and Department of Geriatrics, she designed and launched primary care at home and interdisciplinary co-management programs serving older adults with co-occurring medical and behavioral health conditions. She is also a Faculty Associate at Arizona State’s College of Health Solutions doctoral program in integrated care.

Rani E. Snyder, MPA

VP, Program at The John A. Hartford Foundation

Ms. Snyder has over 25 years of experience working with preeminent health care institutions across the nation improving the care of older adults, identifying and guiding health care programs that have set the standard for medical best practices, increasing medical education opportunities, and maximizing resources to improve health care broadly. She brings that experience to The John A. Hartford Foundation where she coordinates initiatives that foster collaboration among academic institutions, hospitals and health care providers to build Age-Friendly Health Systems, support family caregivers, and improve serious illness and end-of-life care. She is a board member and past board chair for Grantmakers in Aging, a membership organization comprised of philanthropies with a common dedication to improving the experience of aging, a board member for the American Society on Aging.

Suzanne M. Gillespie, MD, RD, CMD

Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

Suzanne M. Gillespie is a geriatrician and Certified Medical Director. She is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Geriatrics/Aging at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and the President of AMDA - The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.

David Fletcher, MBA

Associate VP of Telehealth, Geisinger

David Fletcher, MBA, has worked for 20 years in the healthcare industry. He currently oversees all facets of telehealth and the eICU program with 55 employees serving Geisinger’s 10 hospital campuses and more than 50 community clinics and 15 urgent care clinics, which serves more than 2 million residents in Pennsylvania.

Dallas Nelson, MD, CMD

Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Rochester

Dallas Nelson, MD CMD FACP is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of the Rochester in the Division Geriatrics and aging. She is medical director of the UR Medicine Geriatrics Group, a group that serves about 3000 patients across the spectrum of long term care in the Rochester, New York. Dr. Nelson serves as the President of American Board of Post Acute and Long-term Care and as a leader on Telehealth committee for Society of Post-Acute and Long Term Care Medicine. Dr. Nelson has published clinical trials on the use of Telemedicine to reduce Emergency Department Use by Geriatric Homes.

Neal Sikka, MD

Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, George Washington University

Dr. Sikka is a Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at George Washington University and a Board-Certified Emergency Physician at the George Washington University Hospital. He is also the Department's Director of the Innovative Practice and Telehealth Section where he leads telehealth efforts like GW Maritime Medical Access, a fellowship in Telemedicine and Digital Health, and conducts research in areas of telehealth, augmented reality, and digital health literacy.

Mia L. Phifer, MSJ

Senior VP of Quality and Compliance, National PACE Association

Mia is the senior vice-president of Quality and Compliance with the National PACE Association (NPA). She provides strategic leadership and oversight to support clinical, quality, and regulatory compliance efforts of PACE organizations. She works to advance NPA strategic priorities toward the development and adoption of clinical and quality standards, performance measures, and compliance systems to enhance the quality of care of those served by PACE and promote compliance with regulatory oversight requirements.

Stephen Hoy

COO, PFCCpartners

Stephen Hoy is the Chief Operating Officer at PFCCpartners. Diagnosed with mitochondrial disease as a child, Stephen has crafted a person-centered engagement with the health system that focuses on fly-fishing, skiing, surfing, cycling, and camping. That experience fuels a passion for advancing patient and family centered care practice across the US health system. He seeks to standardize a system that provides individualized care for every person desiring better health. With a priority on unifying existing health care structures and community resources around each person’s well-being. His partnerships include federal, state, and local governments, hospitals, health systems, primary care, quality improvement projects, healthcare research, policy, and measurement.

Kristin L Rising, MD, MSHP

Director, Jefferson Center for Connected Care and Professor, Thomas Jefferson University

Dr. Kristin Rising is Founding Director of the Jefferson Center for Connected Care and Professor and Director of Acute Care Transitions in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University. Her mission is to transform the patient voice into evidence-based interventions that are designed to address unmet needs that impact health outcomes of vulnerable individuals and communities. Her current research portfolio includes addressing patient uncertainty related to seeking care, promoting vaccine confidence among vulnerable populations, and developing novel approaches to reduce the impact of social determinants of health on patient outcomes, with a specific focus on disparities in telehealth use.

Robyn I. Stone, DrPH

Senior VP for Research at LeadingAge/Co-Director, LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston

Robyn I. Stone, DrPH is a noted researcher and internationally recognized authority on aging services, Robyn has been engaged in policy development, program evaluation, large-scale demonstration projects, and other applied research activities for more than 40 years. She was a political appointee in the Clinton Administration, serving in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as deputy assistant secretary for disability, aging, and long-term care policy. She also served as assistant secretary for aging.

Majd Alwan, BEng, MSc, PhD

Independent Digital Health, Health IT, and Strategy Expert

Majd Alwan, Ph.D., is an independent digital health, health IT, and strategy expert and a noted authority on aging-services technologies. In his previous role at LeadingAge CAST, Dr. Alwan was responsible for creating and leading a network of technology companies, providers and research institutions focused on technology solutions for an aging society. Prior to joining CAST, Majd served as an Assistant Professor and the Director of the Robotics and Eldercare Technologies Program at the University of Virginia's Medical Automation Research Center.

Joshua Hofmeyer, LNHA, HSE

CEO, Dow Rummel Village

Joshua Hofmeyer currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer for Dow Rummel Village in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he strives to ensure their mission for residents and staff is met every day. He has been a licensed long-term care administrator for over twelve years and is also certified as a health services executive. He has extensive knowledge in health care quality improvement processes and recruitment and retention as well as experience in assisting skilled nursing entities and other senior housing locations achieve financial success.

Kathy Hsu Wibberly, PhD

Director, Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center

Kathy is Director of the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center (MATRC). Kathy is also Director of Research for the Karen S. Rheuban Center for Telehealth, Assistant Professor of Public Health Sciences at the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Medicine and faculty member at the Healthy Appalachia Institute. Kathy’s public service career reflects over 30 years of experience in public health, public policy, program development, program evaluation and strategic planning.

Steven Handler, MD, PhD, CMD

Associate Chief of Staff for Geriatrics and Extended Care, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System; Director VISN 4 Tech-GRECC

Steven Handler is the Associate Chief of Staff for Geriatrics and Extended Care VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System and the Director VISN 4 Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center (Tech-GRECC). He is also an Associate Professor with a primary appointment in the Division of Geriatric Medicine and secondary appointments in Biomedical Informatics as well as Translational Science. His primary research area focuses on medication and patient safety, telemedicine, and quality improvement in the post-acute and long-term care setting.

Frank Sites, MHA, BSN, RN

Enterprise Vice President, Emergency and Hospital Medicine Service Lines and Connected Care Operations, Jefferson Health

Frank Sites is responsible for leading all internal and external growth initiatives including all clinical, technical, support and regulatory activities impacting the enterprise-wide telehealth and urgent care programs. Previously, Frank has served as the Operations Director a tele-ICU in a large academic health system that provided tele critical care services to several hospitals. Frank has served in a variety of nursing leadership roles including Chief Nurse Executive of Good Shepherd Penn Partners and served as a Clinical Director of Emergency Nursing and Patient Progression at Pennsylvania Hospital, and as the Division Director of Critical Care at Reading Health System.

Rebecca "Becky" Harless, MBA

Associate Administrator of Ambulatory and Telemedicine, Charleston Area Medical Center

Becky Harless has worked in many different areas of healthcare over her 20+ years in the business. Her team created the telemedicine service line at Charleston Area Medical Center and was recognized at the 2021 Teladoc Forum for excellence in advancing patient care through telemedicine. In her current role she is responsible for 42 ambulatory locations, plus a large telehealth network that accounts for 13% of visits.

Leah Steckler, MD

Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, George Washington University

Dr. Steckler practices clinically at the George Washington University (GWU) in Washington, DC. Additionally, she sees patients at a local skilled nursing facility. She has a special interest in geriatric emergency medicine and completed a certificate program in Geriatrics through GWU.

Linda V. DeCherrie, MD

VP Clinical Strategy and Implementation, Medically Home

Dr. DeCherrie is the Vice President, Clinical Strategy and Implementation at Medically Home which is a technology-enabled services company that provides all the necessary tools to allow medical providers to provide hospital at home. Previously she was at Mount Sinai Health system for 18 years and most recently was the Clinical Director of Mount Sinai at Home, the home based service line. Dr. DeCherrie remains a Clinical Professor in the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

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CE4TA Timeline

We are committed to advancing and increasing the use of age-inclusive telehealth

CE4TA is the culmination of a collaborative effort over the past several years to respond to a rapidly growing need for guidance to implement age-inclusive telehealth.

2020

Exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, an already worrisome trend created an urgent need for action: there was no organized body of experts or adequate guidance to implement telehealth safely and effectively for older adults.

2021

WHI, UVA, and MATRC established the Collaborative for Telehealth and Aging (C4TA) of experts from health systems, academic institutions, member organizations, and non-profit foundations to help advance health for older adults by advising the development of guidelines, tools, and best practices for telehealth.

2022

The C4TA created the Principles and Guidelines to Advance Telehealth for Older Adults, a first of its kind guidance targeted to providers and health systems outlining tangible changes to existing practices around telehealth.

2023

The official launch of the Center of Excellence for Telehealth and Aging (CE4TA), a hub of resources and tools that we aspire to grow into a robust platform for thought leadership and community engagement around telehealth for older adults.

Join the Movement

Join the growing community of health care providers and administrators who recognize the need for age-inclusive telehealth and are committed to delivering telehealth that is equitable, accessible, person-centered, and coordinated.

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