Houston Methodist Division of Geriatrics 

The Houston Methodist Division of Geriatrics is a multidisciplinary group providing age-friendly care to diverse older hospitalized adults. We address the broad spectrum of needs of aging adults, including medical care for dependent patients, complex wounds, recurrent infections, post-surgical complications, trauma and neurological injuries. Geriatric syndromes, like delirium, frailty, failure to thrive, physical deconditioning and polypharmacy make up a large proportion of our consults. 

Ranked No. 19 in the nation for Geriatrics by U.S. News & World Report, our division is highly regarded by geriatricians and trusted by patients and families. Our geriatric experts bring innovation and compassion together to lead comprehensive clinical care, education and research. 

Our division’s initiatives are immersed in a human-centric philosophy of care. We frame our approaches based on the 4M’s — medications, mobility, mentation and “what matters most.” In addition to the geriatric science we apply and refine, we get to know our patients as individuals and train our students to take our patients’ unique histories into account in creating the most person-centered care.  

We understand the specialized care required for older adults and deeply consider the fundamental differences created by aging throughout hospitalization. Our team provides holistic treatment tailored to the unique needs of our patients, while integrating the concepts of frailty and vulnerability in older adults. 

Our geriatric experts are specially trained to address the unique medical needs and treatment challenges associated with aging, such as managing multiple chronic conditions, mobility issues and memory problems.  

Our goal is to consistently improve the quality of life for older adults. This means we provide intentional modifications to the full spectrum of care, including the types and presentations of illness, medications and expected outcomes. 

Our clinicians and researchers have received Clinical Teaching Awards and regularly feature their findings and expertise at prestigious conferences and symposiums around the world. 

Our Faculty ➝   Our Physicians ➝ 

Research is paramount in the drive to understand and reduce the impact of age-associated illness. Our division regularly produces peer-reviewed publications and collaborates with some of the best institutions and organizations in the world and plays key roles in clinical trials. Recent collaborations have investigated the possibility of supplemental GlyNAC to promote healthy aging and improve muscle strength, metabolism and inflammation in adults.  

Our most active clinical research initiatives are in prevention and mitigation of delirium for older adults in the hospital. For example, we recognize the importance of sleep for older adults to ensure the excretion of toxins from the brain, overall cognition and the prevention of delirium. 

One of our research grants has allowed us to make the hospital a better place to sleep, systemwide. In addition to hoping to prevent delirium in hospitalized older adults, attention to sleep may allow for more rapid recovery for those with delirium. Another effort is focused on the ICU, using virtual stimulation to keep the brain reality-focused and resilient.

The Geriatrics Division at Houston Methodist is conducting groundbreaking research to solve problems that older adults experience while in the hospital and, additionally, to advance healthy aging using models. We are exploring the relationship between large differences in aging between men and women, including the fundamental aging of the heart and the metabolism as we age. The division’s research pursuits also explore prevention and lifestyle care.  

Our educational footprint extends beyond our division, to all physicians who intend to care for older adults. We teach all Houston Methodist EnMed (medical) students, as well as all internal medicine and family medicine residents — typically in their third year — to develop a thorough understanding of the needs and care requirements of this unique population.  

Katy Agarwal, MD, a nationally respected member of our division, is heavily involved in quality improvement throughout Houston Methodist Hospital. She extends her reach globally, teaching health care institutions across the U.S. and in Saudia Arabia about quality care and geriatrics to help them embrace age-friendly health system ethos. 

Houston Methodist's affiliation with Baylor College of Medicine allows us to instill advanced practices in our health care system and beyond. We regularly host fellows from Baylor’s Geriatrics Fellowship, one of the largest ACGME-accredited geriatric training programs in the nation, providing them with valuable experience in a large private hospital. We also host pharmacy students and faculty from University of Houston’s School of Pharmacy and their presence adds to the multidisciplinary richness of our team. 

Our extensive training opportunities include our immersion course, other educational conferences, monthly grand rounds, weekly educational experiences, and, in collaboration with the Department of Ophthalmology, an annual Symposium on Enhancing Geriatric Understanding and Education (SEGUE).