Rebecca T. Brown, MD, MPH
Associate Professor of Medicine (Geriatrics)
Senior Fellow, Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics
Research Associate, Population Aging Research Center
Senior Fellow, Penn Center for Public Health
Department: Medicine
Contact information
Ralston House
3615 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
3615 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Office: (215) 573-2021
Education:
AB (English)
Harvard College, Cambridge, MA, 1999.
MD (Medicine)
Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 2005.
MPH (Clinical Effectiveness)
Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 2011.
Permanent linkAB (English)
Harvard College, Cambridge, MA, 1999.
MD (Medicine)
Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 2005.
MPH (Clinical Effectiveness)
Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 2011.
Description of Clinical Expertise
As a geriatrician, Dr. Brown has expertise practicing in several clinical settings, including inpatient geriatrics consults and Acute Care for Elders units and outpatient primary care geriatrics. She currently practices primary care geriatrics at the Corporal Crescenz VA Medical Center in Philadelphia.Description of Research Expertise
The goal of Dr. Brown's research is to improve functional status and quality of life for socioeconomically vulnerable older adults. A substantial part of Dr. Brown's research has examined the epidemiology and outcomes of functional impairment and other geriatric conditions among vulnerable older populations. Her most recent work builds upon these epidemiologic findings to develop and test interventions to optimize function for vulnerable older adults in both clinic and community settings. She currently holds a K76 Beeson Advanced Career Development Award from the NIA focused on improving function and independence for older adults living in federally subsidized housing, as well as a VA Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) grant focused on improving identification and management of functional impairment among older adults in primary care settings.Selected Publications
Schmucker AM, Reyes-Farias D, Nicosia FM, Xu E, B Potter M, Karliner LS, Brown RT: Caring for patients with functional impairment in middle age: perspectives from primary care providers and geriatricians. J Gen Intern Med Mar 15 2024 Notes: doi: 10.1007/s11606-024-08701-1. Online ahead of print.Warren CM, Brown RT, Ashcraft LE: Evidence-based tailoring of home-based occupational therapy interventions for older adults in complex healthcare systems. Poster presentation at American Occupational Therapy Association INSPIRE 2024 Annual Conference & Expo; Orlando, Florida March 2024.
Peeples AD, Ashcraft LE, Goodman OK, Pascal CF, Whiteside PG, Pelcher LR, Manges-Piazza K, Brown RT, Burke RE: Silver linings: opportunities and insights from care providers on benefits of attempted implementation. 16th Annual Dissemination & Implementation Conference, Washington, D.C. Dec 11 2023.
Maitra MR, Brown RT: Improving Aging in Place for Older Veterans Living in Permanent Supportive Housing. Poster presentation at Gerontological Society of America Annual Meeting; Tampa, Florida Nov 8 2023.
Brown RT, Zuo X, McMillan CT, Stites SD, Elo I, Langa K, Xie D: Cognitive trajectories in middle-aged Americans, 1995 to 2018. Poster presentation at Gerontological Society of America Annual Meeting; Tampa, Florida Nov 2023.
Gupta S, Jahan M, Reyes-Farias D, Bailey K, Resnick B, Reid C, Brown RT: Advocating for independence: the role of subsidized housing staff in supporting older residents. J Am Geriatr Soc 71(9): 2986-2989, Sep 2023.
Nicosia FM, Zamora K, Rizzo A, Spar MJ, Silvestrini M, Brown RT: Using multiple qualitative methods to inform intervention development: improving functional status measurement for older veterans in primary care settings. PLoS One 18(8): e0290741, Aug 24 2023.
Yannatos I, Stites SD, Brown RT, McMillan CT: Contributions of neighborhood social environment and air pollution exposure to Black-White disparities in epigenetic aging. PLoS One 18(7): e0287112, Jul 5 2023.
Kim S, Brown RT, Jung H-Y, Ryskina KL: Advanced provider specialization in skilled nursing facility (SNF)-based practice and functional outcomes of post-acute care for older adults with dementia Poster presentation at AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting; Seattle, Washington Jun 26 2023.
Szymanski EP, Ricco J, Brown R, Schwab E, Makaroun LK : The signs are subtle: recognizing and supporting older veterans experiencing financial abuse. Poster presentation at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Geriatrics Society; Long Beach, California May 2023.