Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital

The 16th Hallym-Columbia-Cornell-NYP International Symposium on ‘Importance and Advances in Geriatric Medicine and Surgery’ was successfully held at Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital on April 22, 2019.

The symposium attracted nearly 180 participants, including medical specialists in the field related to geriatric medicine in Korea and abroad.

Distinguished scholars from Columbia University and Weill Cornell Medicine, including Dr. Herbert Pardes, Dr. Mark A. Hardy, Dr. Evelyn C. Granieri, Dr. José A. Luchsinger, and Dr. Bret R. Rutherford presented the research outcomes and shared their experiences on the topic. Dr. Hideki Ito, a CEO at Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology, and Dr. Naoki Maruyama, a hospital director at Saitama Central Hospital, also delivered excellent presentations and dignified the meeting with their presence.

Experts in Korea, including Dr. Jong-Lull Yoon, Dr. Jun-Dong Chang, Dr. Guk-Hee Suh, and Dr. Hyun Ju Hong of Hallym University, participated in the meeting as speakers to give lectures on geriatric medicine. Prominent geriatric medicine specialists such as Dr. Sang Won Suh of Hallym University, Dr. Dong Ho Lee of Seoul National University, and Dr. Seong Yoon Kim of University of Ulsan also joined the event as chairpersons to moderate each session.

The symposium was comprised of four sessions with 11 lectures. In the beginning, Dr. Pardes presented his special lecture on ‘Health Care Policy for the Aging Population.’ Then, the first session began, which covered ‘How to Manage Hospital in Super-aged Society, with the Experience in Japan and Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital’, ‘Geriatric Surgery: Making Surgery Safer in the Golden Years’, and ’Arthroplasty for Hip and Knee Joint in the Geriatric Patients: Current Issues and Perspectives.’

In the second session, speakers presented on ‘Diabetes and Cognitive Impairment’, ‘Post-Acute Transitional Care for Frail Elderly in Acute Hospital’, and ‘Practical Considerations in the Care of Frail Older Adults.’

After a short coffee break, the third session began in which participants discussed topics such as ‘Aging and Later Life Neuropsychiatry: Toward Precision Interventions to Improve the Health and Functioning of Older Adults’, ‘Stem Cell Therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease: Angel or Devil?’, ‘Drug Repositioning for Dementia Prevention’ and ‘Characteristics of Suicide in Korea.’

The specific programs including topics and speakers are as follows:

■ Special Lecture
1. Health Care Policy for the Aging Population
(Dr. Herbert Pardes, Executive Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Professor of Psychiatry, Columbia and Cornell Universities)

■ Session 1
1. How to Manage Hospital in Super-aged Society, with the Experience in Japan and Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital
(Dr. Hideki Ito, CEO, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology)
2. Geriatric Surgery: Making Surgery Safer in the Golden Years
(Dr. Mark A. Hardy, Auchincloss Professor of Surgery, Director Emeritus & Founder of the Transplantation Program, Columbia University Medical Center)
3. Arthroplasty for Hip and Knee Joint in the Geriatric Patients: Current Issues and Perspectives
(Dr. Jun-Dong Chang, Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Hallym University College of Medicine, Director of Arthroplasty Center, Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital)

■ Session 2
1. Diabetes and Cognitive Impairment
(Dr. José A. Luchsinger, Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology, Vice-Chair for Clinical and Epidemiological Research, Columbia University Medical Center)
2. Post-Acute Transitional Care for Frail Elderly in Acute Hospital
(Dr. Jong-Lull Yoon, Professor of Family Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine)
3. Practical Considerations in the Care of Frail Older Adults
(Dr. Evelyn C. Granieri, Professor of Medicine, Chief of Division of Geriatric Medicine and Aging, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons)

■ Session 3
1. Aging and Later Life Neuropsychiatry: Toward Precision Interventions to Improve the Health and Functioning of Older Adults
(Dr. Bret R. Rutherford, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Director of Neurobiology and Therapeutics of Aging Division, New York State Psychiatric Institute)
2. Stem Cell Therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease: Angel or Devil?
(Dr. Guk-Hee Suh, Professor of Psychiatry, Hallym University College of Medicine)
3. Drug Repositioning for Dementia Prevention
(Dr. Naoki Maruyama, Director, Saitama Central Hospital)
4. Characteristics of Suicide in Korea
(Dr. Hyun Ju Hong, Professor of Psychiatry, Hallym University College of Medicine)

By Chul Kwon, Int’l Cooperation Team, HUMC (chris@hallym.or.kr)