James M Lai, MD
On the web
Overview
Dr. James M. Lai is Chief of the Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Associate Professor of Medicine at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. He received his Medical Degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and completed residency training in Internal Medicine at the University of Maryland Medical Center and Baltimore VA Medical Center. He completed Fellowship training in Geriatric Medicine and as a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar, both at the Yale School of Medicine. Prior to his current position, he served in leadership roles as the Associate Director of Clinical Services for Geriatrics and Palliative Care at NYU Langone and as the Associate Chief of Clinical Affairs for the Section of Geriatrics at the Yale School of Medicine.
Dr. Lai's professional interests are focused on innovative program development in Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, designing Age-Friendly Health Systems, and improving clinical outcomes for a diverse and expanding population of older adults. With respect to research, Dr. Lai is co- developer of the ACED, a clinical capacity assessment tool, developed and validated for use in evaluating decision-making capacity for everyday decisions in patients with dementia; more recently, he has studied the role of geriatric care in the ED and AI/data driven models designed for the early detection of dementia in the clinical setting. Clinically, Dr. Lai practices geriatrics in both the inpatient and outpatient settings throughout the Columbia sphere, having extensive experience as a geriatrician, hospitalist, and primary care provider.Areas of Expertise / Conditions Treated
- Aging
- Geriatric Issues
- Geriatrics
Academic Appointments
- Associate Professor of Medicine at CUMC
Administrative Titles
- Chief, Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine
Gender
- Male
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Location(s)
Insurance Accepted
Aetna
- Aetna Signature Administrators
- EPO
- HMO
- Medicare Managed Care
- NY Signature
- POS
- PPO
- Student Health
Affinity Health Plan
- Essential Plan
- Medicaid Managed Care
Amida Care
- Special Needs
Cigna
- EPO
- Great West (National)
- HMO
- Medicare Managed Care
- POS
- PPO
Emblem/GHI
- Medicare Managed Care
- PPO
Emblem/HIP
- ConnectiCare
- EPO
- Essential Plan
- HMO
- Medicaid Managed Care
- Medicare Managed Care
- POS
- PPO
- Select Care (Exchange)
- Vytra
Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield
- EPO
- HMO
- Medicare Managed Care
- PPO
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield HealthPlus
- Child/Family Health Plus
- Essential Plan
- Medicaid Managed Care
Fidelis Care
- Child/Family Health Plus
- Essential Plan
- Medicaid Managed Care
- Medicare Managed Care
Healthfirst
- Child/Family Health Plus
- Leaf (Exchange)
- Medicaid Managed Care
- Medicare Managed Care
Healthspring (Cigna Medicare)
- Medicare Managed Care
Local 1199
- Local 1199
MagnaCare (National)
- MagnaCare
Medicare
- Traditional Medicare
Multiplan
- Multiplan
MVP Health Care
- Child/Family Health Plus
- Essential Plan
- HMO
- Medicaid Managed Care
RiverSpring
- Special Needs
UnitedHealthcare
- Compass (Exchange)
- Empire Plan
- HMO
- Medicaid (Community Plan)
- Medicare Managed Care
- Oxford Freedom
- Oxford HMO
- Oxford Liberty
- POS
- PPO
VNSNY CHOICE
- Medicare Managed Care
- SelectHealth
- Special Needs
WellCare
- Medicaid Managed Care
- Medicare Managed Care
World Trade Center Health Plan
- World Trade Center Health Plan
Credentials & Experience
Education & Training
- MD, Wake Forest University, Bowman Gray School of Medicine
- ScM, Reproductive Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
- BA, Mathematics, Hamilton College
- MHS, Health Outcomes Research, Yale School of Medicine
- Residency: Internal Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center
- Fellowship: Geriatric Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine
Committees, Societies, Councils
- American Geriatrics Society
- American College of Physicians
Board Certifications
- Geriatric Medicine
- Internal Medicine