Department of Medicine
Faculty Profiles by Division

Department of Medicine

Faculty Profiles
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photo Steven M. Handler, MD, PhD, CMD

Geriatrics

Associate Professor of Geriatric Medicine (Primary Appointment)

Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics

Associate Professor of Clinical and Translational Research

Core Faculty, Center for Critical Care Nephrology

Director of Geriatric Telemedicine Programs

Associate Chief of Staff, Geriatrics and Extended Care, Veterans Administration Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS)

Director, Geriatrics Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), Veterans Administration Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS)

Email: handler@pitt.edu

Phone: 412-822-1650
Contact
Office: Forbes Tower, Suite 1064
3600 Forbes Ave. @ Meyran
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
 
Phone: 412-822-1650
Fax: 888-647-3820
E-mail: handler@pitt.edu
Administrative Assistant:
Amber Mandic
Address: 3471 Fifth Ave, Suite 500
Kaufmann Medical Bldg
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Email: amm649@pitt.edu
Phone: 412-692-2361
Fax: 412-692-2370
Education and Training
Education
•BS in Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, 1993
•MD, New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, 1997
•MS in Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, 2004
•PhD in Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, 2010
Training
•Internship in Family Medicine, Family Practice Residency Program, Tufts University, 1998
•Residency in Family Medicine, Family Practice Residency Program, Tufts University, 2000
•Fellowship in Geriatric Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, 2002
Research Interest
An Associate Professor of Geriatrics, Dr Handler also holds appointments in Biomedical Informatics and in Clinical and Translational Research. In addition to his role as Director of Geriatric Telemedicine Programs, he serves as Associate Chief of Staff, Geriatrics and Extended Care and Director, Geriatrics Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), at the Veterans Administration Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS). Dr. Handler is a practicing geriatrician and his primary research areas include medication and patient safety, telemedicine, and translational informatics for older adults in a variety of settings.
Publications
For my complete bibliography, Click Here.
Selected Publications:
Handler, S. M., Altman, R. L., Perera, S., Hanlon, J. T., Studenski, S. A., Saul, M. I., Fridsma, D. B. A systematic review of the performance characteristics of Clinical Event Monitor signals used to detect adverse drug events in the hospital setting. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association. 2007; 14(4): 451-458.
Persell, S.D., Brown, T., Doctor, J.N., Fox, C.R., Goldstein, N.J., Handler, S.M., Hanlon, J.T., Lee, J.Y., Linder, J.A., Meeker, D., Rowe, T.A., Sullivan, M.D., Friedberg, M.W. Development of High-Risk Geriatric Polypharmacy Electronic Clinical Quality Measures and a Pilot Test of EHR Nudges Based on These Measures. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2022.
Kapoor, A., Field, T., Handler, S., Fisher, K., Saphirak, C., Crawford, S., Fouayzi, H., Johnson, F., Spenard, A., Zhang, N., Gurwitz, J.H. Adverse Events in Long-term Care Residents Transitioning From Hospital Back to Nursing Home. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2019; 179(9): 1254-1261.
Gillespie, S.M., Moser, A.L., Gokula, M., Edmondson, T., Rees, J., Nelson, D., Handler, S.M. Standards for the Use of Telemedicine for Evaluation and Management of Resident Change of Condition in the Nursing Home. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. 2019; 20(2): 115-122.
Kane-Gill, S.L., Achanta, A., Kellum, J.A., Handler, S.M. Clinical decision support for drug related events: Moving towards better prevention. World Journal of Critical Care Medicine. 2016; 5(4): 204-211.
Degenholtz, H.B., Resnick, A., Lin, M., Handler, S. Development of an Applied Framework for Understanding Health Information Technology in Nursing Homes. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. 2016; 17(5): 434-440.
Marcum, Z.A., Sevick, M.A., Handler, S.M. Medication nonadherence: a diagnosable and treatable medical condition. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2013; 309(20): 2105-2106.
Marcum, Z.A., Arbogast, K.L., Behrens, M.C., Logsdon, M.W., Francis, S.D., Jeffery, S.M., Aspinall, S.L., Hanlon, J.T., Handler, S.M. Utility of an adverse drug event trigger tool in Veterans Affairs nursing facilities. The Consultant Pharmacist. 2013; 28(2): 99-109.
Steinman, M.A., Handler, S.M., Gurwitz, J.H., Schiff, G.D., Covinsky, K.E. Beyond the prescription: medication monitoring and adverse drug events in older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2011; 59(8): 1513-20.
Roshanov, P.S., Fernandes, N., Wilczynski, J.M., Hemens, B.J., You, J.J., Handler, S.M., Nieuwlaat, R., Souza, N.M., Beyene, J., Van Spall, H.G., Garg, A.X., Haynes, R.B. Features of effective computerised clinical decision support systems: meta-regression of 162 randomised trials. The British Medical Journal. 2013.
Sponsored Research/Activities
Title: Developing and Testing an Evidence-Based Toolkit for Nursing Home Care of Residents with Obesity
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: Magee Womens Research Institute and Foundation/ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Grant Number: R01 HS026943
Start Year: 2019
End Year: 2024
Title: Reducing High-Risk Geriatric Polypharmacy via HER Nudges
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: RAND
Grant Number: R21 AG057396
Start Year: 2017
End Year: 2022
Title: Sustaining Skeletal Health in Frail Elderly
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute of Aging
Grant Number: R01 AG052123
Start Year: 2016
End Year: 2021
Title: Pittsburgh Older Americans Independence Center RC1
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: National Institute of Aging
Grant Number: P30 AG024827
Start Year: 2015
End Year: 2020
Title: Transforming the Medication Regimen Review Process of High-Risk Drugs Using a Patient-Centered Telemedicine-Based Approach to Prevent Adverse Drug Events in the Nursing Home
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Grant Number: R18 HS024208
Start Year: 2015
End Year: 2018
Title: Post-Hospital Discharge Adverse Events in the Nursing Setting
Role: Co-Investigator
Funding Agency: University of Massachusetts
Grant Number: R01 HS024433
Start Year: 2015
End Year: 2018

Division Websites

Cardiology

Endocrinology and Metabolism

Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition

General Internal Medicine

Geriatric Medicine
Hematology/Oncology

Infectious Diseases

Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine

Renal-Electrolyte

Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology

Contact

Department of Medicine
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Email:  chairoff@pitt.edu
Phone:  412-648-9636
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