Austin James Armstrong, MD

Provider is directly employed by MedStar Health

Austin Armstrong, MD, is a geriatrician at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Dr. Armstrong specializes in attending to older adults who are experiencing a wide range of complex and often chronic geriatric syndromes such as dementia, Alzheimer's, unsteady gait, delirium, osteoporosis, frailty, incontinence, and elder abuse. Known for his compassionate nature and genuine love for taking care of the elderly, Dr. Armstrong received the Alice Jane Argao Humanitarian Award in 2022.

Dr. Armstrong is a part of the MedStar DC Geriatrics and House Call program, where he attends to elderly patients in the comfort of their own homes. Through this program, he is able to provide healthcare that meets the unique needs of older patients, including: cognitive impairment assessments; mental health evaluations for diagnosing mood disorders such as depression and anxiety; drawing labs or giving vaccines; and assessing for fall risks. This program also allows Dr. Armstrong to combat the growing social isolation that many older adults currently face. During his visits, he loves taking the time to listen to his patients’ stories and learn from their wisdom.

Dr. Armstrong strongly promotes both preventative care and de-prescribing. De-prescribing is a patient-centered process that aims to taper or stop medications with the intention of improving health outcomes by reducing exposure to medications that are potentially harmful or no longer required. To that end, he works with his patients to identify the root causes of their symptoms and eliminate unnecessary medications.

Dr. Armstrong obtained his medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. From there, he went to the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston to complete his residency in internal medicine. He did his fellowship at Weill Cornell Medicine at New York Presbyterian Hospital.

He holds professional memberships with the American Geriatrics Society, the American College of Physicians, and the American Medical Association.

Philosophy of Care

"I often get asked why I am a geriatrician. The answer is simple: I genuinely enjoy helping older adults. The stories of their lives are an endless source of inspiration and joy for me, both personally and professionally. When I was young, I grew up with my grandparents, who were like a second set of parents to me. Their love and care had such a meaningful impact on my life that I made it my mission as a physician to honor the dignity of my patients and offer them the care that I would have wanted my own grandparents to have had."