Dr. Mary Tinetti is a distinguished geriatrician and pioneering researcher whose work has fundamentally transformed care for older adults with multiple chronic conditions. She currently serves as the Gladys Phillips Crofoot Professor of Medicine (Geriatrics) and Professor in the Institution for Social and Policy Studies at Yale School of Medicine, a position she has held since joining the faculty in 1984. After earning her MD from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1978, she completed her residency at the University of Minnesota and a fellowship at the University of Rochester, establishing a career dedicated to improving healthcare for aging populations through rigorous scientific inquiry and compassionate patient-centered approaches.
Dr. Tinetti pioneered the scientific study of falls in elderly populations, transforming what was previously considered an unavoidable aspect of aging into a preventable condition with identifiable risk factors and evidence-based interventions. Her groundbreaking research identified the causes, consequences, and prevention strategies for fall injuries in older adults, which has been translated into clinical practice and public health initiatives nationwide. She has published over 250 peer-reviewed articles that have significantly influenced geriatric care standards and leads the national Patient Priorities Care initiative, which aligns clinical decisions with patients' specific health goals rather than focusing solely on individual diseases. This innovative approach has fundamentally changed how healthcare systems address the complex needs of older adults with multiple chronic conditions.
As a member of the National Academy of Medicine and recipient of a prestigious MacArthur Foundation fellowship, Dr. Tinetti has established herself as a thought leader whose work bridges clinical practice, research, and health policy. She has served on numerous national advisory committees including the FDA, NCQA, and NQF, and currently chairs a group advising health systems on becoming Age-Friendly. Her ongoing research focuses on measuring the net benefits and harms of commonly used medications for older adults and advocating for cross-disease universal health outcomes that reflect what matters most to patients. Dr. Tinetti continues to evaluate the feasibility of patient-centered care approaches in clinical practice, ensuring her work maintains direct relevance to improving outcomes for one of healthcare's most vulnerable populations.
