Geriatrician Offers Additional Support for Hospitalized Patients and Their Families

As part of a growing program to optimize the care of older adults in the inpatient and outpatient setting, geriatrician Meryl Gold, DO has joined the Department of Surgery’s new Division of Metabolic and Perioperative Support at Albany Medical Center.

Dr. Gold focuses on caring for patients over age 65 who will or have undergone planned surgeries or who have experienced trauma, such as broken ribs or a hip fracture.

In partnership with a patient’s surgical team, she co-manages their medical care while they’re in the hospital, including aiding families with difficult situations and decisions, reviewing and consolidating medications, and assisting with post-discharge care plans.

Dr. Gold joins the team led by Andrew Coates, MD, which was initiated five years ago in partnership with the Division of Acute Care Surgery and Critical Care to provide specialized support in the face of life-changing (but not necessarily life-ending) illness.

“Dr. Gold brings unique knowledge and impressive credentials to this critically important position,” said Dr. Coates, who previously worked with Dr. Gold when she was a resident. “It requires a deep knowledge of how to coordinate care with many different care teams, as well as the ability to guide complex and subtle communication, which could be related to a challenging diagnosis, or difficult care planning, or a deeply distraught family.”

Board certified in internal medicine, Dr. Gold completed a fellowship in geriatric medicine at Brown University in Providence, R.I., and a residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at Albany Medical Center. She earned her medical degree from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in Biddeford, Maine.