Geriatric Anesthesia | MedStar Health
Health professional checking patient

As you grow older, you may be more likely to experience medical problems that come with aging. Our anesthesia providers are experts in providing safe anesthesia care for elderly patients undergoing a medical or surgical procedure.

Geriatric anesthesia ensures aging adults over the age of 65 receive anesthesia care to keep them comfortable during surgery. While risks are associated with factors such as your medical condition or type of surgery, age can make it difficult to predict how your body will respond to surgical stress.

Common age-related conditions, such as increased blood pressure or heart disease, may increase the likelihood of complications during or after surgery. That’s why our anesthesia providers are skilled in taking various precautions and safety measures to ensure a safe outcome at any age.

Our geriatric anesthesia providers

Our anesthesiologists and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) are experts in using anesthesia to manage pain and reduce surgical stress in geriatric patients. We have special training in administering anesthesia to elderly patients, who may be at increased risk for complications as a result of urgency of surgery, coexisting diseases, and aging organs.

Our providers work as a team with other specialists and surgeons so you can expect:

  • Highly trained anesthesia specialists

  • One-on-one focused attention

  • State-of-the-art surgical equipment

  • Advanced monitoring techniques

Consultation and geriatrics surgery at MedStar Washington

Consultation

We offer continuity of care for our House Call patients with hospital consultation. Our doctors follow our House Call patients at MedStar Washington to prevent complications and ensure a safe discharge to home or the right level of care. Our Geriatricians work with hospitalist doctors and other medical services to prevent and treat issues like delirium, confusion, and polypharmacy (excessive medications).

Geriatrics Surgery

Our team collaborates with colleagues who provide surgery to high-risk elders, such as trauma, vascular surgery, and surgical oncology services. We aim to get elders safely through surgery and minimize complications. Our geriatricians work in close partnership throughout the care journey to assess the goals and risks of surgery, manage medical issues before and after a procedure, and work on prompt and safe discharge to home or a rehabilitation setting.

Geriatrics education and research at MedStar Washington

MedStar Washington team has active education and clinical research programs to teach a new workforce and to build a knowledge base about Geriatrics for the future.

Our academic activities include the following:

  • Daily education of internal medicine residents about core geriatrics principles, with mentorship on house calls, home health care, and the hospital service

  • Conferences and grand rounds to offer formal teaching of MedStar Washington medicine residents and the community Training of MedStar Georgetown medical students on weekly rotations

  • Research projects on the clinical and cost outcomes of our house call and hospital geriatrics services

  • Support for residents and medical students to join the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and attend the national AGS education meetings in person

  • MedStar House Call Program

  • Hospital Geriatrics Consults

  • Care at Independent, Assisted-Living and Nursing Home settings

Our providers

close up view of a man’s arm while having anesthesia at hospital

Expert anesthesiology care

Getting the care you need starts with seeing one of our anesthesiologists.

Our locations

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MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center

9000 Franklin Square Dr.
Baltimore, MD 21237

MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital

5601 Loch Raven Blvd.
Baltimore, MD 21239

MedStar Harbor Hospital

3001 S. Hanover St.
Baltimore, MD 21225

MedStar Union Memorial Hospital

201 E. University Pkwy.
Baltimore, MD 21218

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

18101 Prince Philip Dr.
Olney, MD 20832

MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center

7503 Surratts Rd.
Clinton, MD 20735

MedStar St Mary's Hospital

25500 Point Lookout Rd.
Leonardtown, MD 20650

MedStar Georgetown University Hospital

3800 Reservoir Rd. NW
Washington, DC, 20007

MedStar Washington Hospital Center

110 Irving St. NW
Washington, DC 20010