Rebecca T. Brown, MD, MPH

Assistant Professor of Medicine
Senior Fellow, Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics
Research Associate, Population Aging Research Center, University of Pennsylvania
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
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.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.
Warren C, Ashcraft LE, Riser T, Brown RT, Mavandadi S, Bowen ME: Implementation of “Age-Friendly” evidence-based practices in the VA healthcare system: an examination of facilitators and barriers. Oral presentation at VA Health Services Research & Development/Quality Enhancement Research Initiative National Meeting; Baltimore, Maryland Feb 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 2023 Notes: In press.
Piazza, KM, Ashcraft LE, Rose L, Hall DE, Brown RT, Bowen ME, Mavandadi S, Brecher AC, Keddem S, Kinosian B, Long JA, Werner RM, Burke RE: Study protocol: Type III hybrid effectiveness-implementation study implementing Age-Friendly evidence-based practices in the VA to improve outcomes in older adults. Implement Sci Commun 4(57), 2023.
Yannatos I, Brown RT, Stites SD, McMillan CT: Contributions of neighborhood social environment and air pollution exposure to Black-White disparities in epigenetic aging. PLoS One 2023 Notes: Accepted for publication.
Vaughan CP, Brown RT, Hastings NS, Makris UE, Forman DE: Veterans Health Administration research in aging: opportunities for high impact across the academic career. J Am Geriatr Soc 2023 Notes: In press.
Ashcraft, LE, Piazza, KM, Mavandadi, S, Brown, RT, Bowen, ME, Long, JA, Werner, RM, Hall, DE, Burke, RE.: Seven steps of a highly effective evaluation plan. Poster presentation at AcademyHealth 15th Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health; Washington D.C Dec 2022.
Riser T, Warren C, Ashcraft LE, Manges K, Mavandadi S, Brown RT, Bowen ME: Optimizing Age-Friendly care within the VA: barriers and facilitators to implementing evidence-based practices for promoting aging in place. Poster presentation at 15th Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health; Washington, D.C Dec 2022.
Ashcraft LE, Piazza KM, Mavandadi S, Brown RT, Long JA, Werner RM, Hall DE, Burke RE: Pragmatic innovations in measuring implementation dose and its relationship with implementation outcomes. Poster presentation at 15th Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health; Washington, D.C. Dec 2022.