2025 Geriatric Medication Safety Symposium

April 24-25, 2025 | In-person & Virtual Format

The Denton A. Cooley, MD and Ralph C. Cooley, DDS University Life Center, Texas Medical Center, Houston

Registration Deadline: April 18

Awards for Best Poster and Podium Presentations

Plenary Sessions, Panel and Workshop by Leading Researchers & Practitioners

Continuing Education Credits (details below)

Who Should Attend

The target audience includes physicians, nurses, pharmacists, students, residents, researchers, and others in Texas and the nation.

Schedule

11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 24, and 8 a.m.-3:45 p.m. Friday, April 25

Confirmed Speakers

• Mary K. Brennan-Taylor, Adjunct Research Instructor of Family Medicine, University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; Charter Member, Patient Safety Action Network; and Co-founder, Team Alice
• Ariel Green, M.D., MPH, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
• Myla A. Magno, DNP, APRN, GNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, GS-C, Medical Consultant Provider, Community Care Nursing Home Program/State Veterans Home Program, Social Work Services Department, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center
• Joshua Niznik, Pharm.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy/UNC School of Medicine
• Carolyn Pickering, Ph.D., R.N., Professor and Isla Carroll Turner Chair in Gerontological Nursing, UTHealth Cizik School of Nursing
• Bianca Romero Widmer, Pharm.D., BCGP, BCPS, Senior Manager, Clinical Pharmacy, Suvida Healthcare
• Mahveen Sohail, M.D., Geriatrician, The University of Texas-MD Anderson Cancer Center
• Robert G. Wahler, Pharm.D., BCGP, FASCP, CPE, Clinical Associate Professor, University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Director of Clinical Pharmacy Services, Niagara Hospice; and Research Associate Professor, University at Buffalo’s Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Cost for 2-day Event:

$100 for Professionals/Non-students, residents and fellows

$50 for students, residents and fellows

Continuing Education

CME:

Accreditation Statement: McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation: McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston designates this live activity for a maximum of 8.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

CNE:

Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. This activity provides a maximum of 8.0 contact hours.

CDE:

Attendance at this program will earn a maximum of 9.5 credit hours in Pharmacotherapeutics, Special Patient Care and Practice Management/Human Relations, AGD Code 016, 750 and 550. This continuing education activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the standards of the ADA Continuing Recognition Program (ADA CERP) through joint efforts between UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry PACE Center, Continuing Dental Education, UTHealth Houston McGovern Medical School and the University of Houston College of Pharmacy.

The current term of acceptance extends from 5/1/2024 to 6/30/2028. The formal continuing education programs of this sponsor are accepted by AGD for Fellowship/Mastership credit. The University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston is a member of the Association for Continuing Dental Education.

RME:

This symposium has been approved for 3 hours of UT System RME (Risk Management Education).

CPE:

The Texas Society of Health-System Pharmacists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. For specific GMSS CPE information related to credit hours, requirements, etc., please visit the GMSS CE page on LecturePanda.

Venue

The Symposium will be held at the Denton A. Cooley, MD and Ralph C. Cooley, DDS University Life Center, 7440 Cambridge St, Houston, TX 77054.

Parking in Research Park Complex (RPC) Lot, 1940 East Rd, Houston, TX 77054, will be validated for in-person attendees for both days of the symposium.

View/Download Parking & Building Entry Guide PDF

About the Symposium

Medication-related morbidity and mortality are a significant health concern in older adults, who are highly susceptible to medication-related problems. Safe medication use practices require coordinated efforts by providers and patients in the medication use process. Medication-related problems range from prescribing of high-risk medications to misuse of medications by older adults.

The Geriatric Medication Safety Symposium builds upon a successful collaboration between the University of Houston College of Pharmacy Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy (PHOP) and the UTHealth McGovern Medical School in establishing and hosting the Houston Medication Safety Symposium in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

The areas of focus for the Geriatric Medication Safety Symposium include:

• Medication safety in long-term care
• Off-label drug use during the pandemic
• Drug burden/safer opioid use
• Adverse drug events/significant drug interactions
• Drug safety during transitions of care
• Medication safety in inpatient care

Support

The Geriatric Medication Safety Symposium is supported by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health under award number 1R13AG071364.

Contacts

Rajender R. Aparasu, Ph.D., FAPhA (PI)
Mustafa & Sanober Lokhandwala Endowed Professor and Chair,
Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy,
University of Houston College of Pharmacy

Holly M. Holmes, M.D., M.S., AGSF (Co-PI)
Professor and Director,
Joan and Stanford Alexander Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine,
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Vice President, Community Engagement, UTHealth Houston

Planning Committee

The organizers extend their appreciation for the work by the 2025 GMSS Planning Committee:

Jacques Baillargeon, Ph.D.
Professor of Epidemiology and Vice Chair for Education, Department of Preventive Medicine and Population Health, The University of Texas Medical Branch

Logan Campbell, RN, GERO-BC
Health Services Director Central, Amazing Place

Vaunette P. Fay, Ph.D., RNC, FNP, GNP
Director, Continuing Education, and Professor of Nursing – Clinical, Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston

LaDawna Goering, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, BC-ADM
Assistant Professor of Clinical Nursing and Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Track Coordinator, Department of Graduate Studies, UTHealth Cizik School of Nursing

Paula D. Johnson, MPH, PMP
Bureau Chief, Harris County Area Agency on Aging

Jack Joseph, D.D.S.
Clinical Associate Professor, UTHealth School of Dentistry

Amy Kelleh, Pharm.D., BCGP, CDCES
Clinical Pharmacist, HarmonyCares

Min Ji Kwak, M.D., M.S., DrPH
Assistant Professor, Joan and Stanford Alexander Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine, McGovern Medical School, UTHealth Houston

Allison Ownby, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean for Faculty and Educational Development, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

Tyler J. Varisco, Pharm.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy, and Assistant Director, The PREMIER Center, University of Houston College of Pharmacy