Lisa M. Walke, M.D.

Assistant Professor of Medicine, Section of Geriatrics

• BA, Harvard University
• MD, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
• Residency: Montefiore Medical Center
• Fellowship: Yale University
  

Research Interests

Dr. Walke is a graduate of the Yale Fellowship in Geriatric Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology. She has been the recipient of the John A. Hartford/American Federation for Aging Research Academic Geriatric Fellowship (2001-2003), the Merck/American Geriatrics Society New Investigator Award (2002), a R01 Diversity Supplement (2003-2005), and the Hartford Geriatrics Health Outcomes Research Award (2005-2007). Dr. Walke’s research is directed toward improving the quality of care provided to older persons with chronic disease. Her prior work has examined the association between symptoms and three health outcomes—quality of life, self-rated health, and functional status—in community-dwelling older persons with advanced chronic disease. Her current work focuses on symptom management for persons with chronic lung disease and methods for improving hospital outcomes for older adults undergoing elective noncardiac surgery.

Clinical Activities

Dr. Walke is Chief of the interdisciplinary Geriatrics Consult Service which provides inpatient and outpatient geriatric assessments. The consult service utilizes a team approach that consists of a geriatrician, geriatric nurse practitioner, geriatric pharmacist, internal medicine residents, and pharmacy residents. Dr. Walke has also established a new model of care with the Department of Surgery in which older patients scheduled for elective noncardiac surgery are assessed by the consult team in the outpatient surgery clinic. Patients at risk for functional or cognitive decline are co-managed by geriatrics and surgery during their post operative hospitalization. Patients who reside locally also receive a home visit after discharge to ensure a smooth transition back into the community.

Selected Publications

1. Monias AT, Walke LM, Morrison RS, Meier DE. The Effect of Age on Medical Decisions Made by Patients with Chronic Illness. Journal of Palliative Medicine 1999;2:311-317.
2. Katz TF, Walke LM, Jacobs LG. A Geriatric Hospitalist Program for Nursing Home Residents. Annals of Long-Term Care 2000;8:51-56.
3. Katz, TF, Walke LM, Suri R, et al. Goals of care for hospitalized Nursing Home Residents. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2001;49:837.
4. Walke LM, Gallo WT, Tinetti ME, Fried TR. The Burden of Symptoms among Community-Dwelling Older Persons with Advanced Chronic Disease. Archives of Internal Medicine 2004;164:2321-2324.
5. Walke LM, Byers AL, McCorkle R, Fried TR. Symptom Assessment in Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Advanced Chronic Disease. J Pain Sympt Manage 2006;31:31-37.
6. Walke LM . Quality of Life. In: Wachtel TJ, ed. Geriatric Clinical Advisor: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment. Philadelphia : Mosby Elsevier, 2007, pp 500-501.
7. Walke LM , Byers AL, Gallo WT, Endrass J, Fried TR. The Association of Symptoms with Health Outcomes in Chronically Ill Adults. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 2007;33:58-66.
8. Walke LM, Byers AL, Tinetti ME, Dubin JA, McCorkle R, Fried TR. Range and Severity of Symptoms over Time among Older Adults with COPD and HF (under review).