Geriatrics

 

Chief

Dr. Vincent Varilla

Overview

The Division of Geriatrics at Hartford Hospital provides exceptional care for older adults, integrating a multidisciplinary approach to address the complex medical, functional, and psychosocial needs of aging individuals. The division offers both inpatient and outpatient services, including geriatric consultations, primary care, and specialty care for conditions such as dementia, delirium, frailty, and polypharmacy. The team comprises board-certified geriatricians, advanced practice providers, geriatric nurse leaders, and educators who collaborate to deliver patient-centered care that emphasizes quality of life, independence, and prevention. A particular focus is placed on the management of inpatient geriatric syndromes, such as delirium, frailty, falls, and polypharmacy, ensuring these common yet complex issues are addressed with expertise and sensitivity. As a recognized leader in Geriatrics, the division also works closely with other specialties to manage chronic illnesses and optimize care for patients undergoing complex treatments. Beyond clinical care, the Division of Geriatrics is also committed to advancing the field through education, research, and community engagement.

Website

hhcmg.org/specialties/primary-care/geriatrics

Meet our team at Hartford Hospital

Vincent Varilla, MD 
Chief, Geriatrics

Dr. Varilla joined Hartford Hospital as Division Chief for Geriatrics in December 2023, bringing a wealth of experience in geriatric care and program development. Prior to this role, he successfully established a comprehensive Geriatrics program at Midstate Medical Center in 2020. Since 2016, Dr. Varilla has worked as a dedicated geriatrician in both inpatient and outpatient settings. He is a member of the American Geriatrics Society.

Dr. Varilla earned his medical degree from the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital and completed his Internal Medicine residency at UConn Health. He further specialized with a two-year fellowship in Geriatrics at the UConn Center on Aging.

Caring for older adults is Dr. Varillaā€™s passion. His clinical and professional interests include dementia, delirium, and promoting healthy aging. He is committed to advancing geriatric care and improving the quality of life for seniors through personalized, evidence-based medicine.

Anna Rae Montano, RN, PhD

Anna-Rae Montano has been a registered nurse at Hartford Hospital since 2014 and has worked across specialties in medical-surgical, oncology and geriatrics. She started as the Program Director of Inpatient Geriatric Services in 2022 and is a Lecturer in the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program at Yale University School of Nursing. Dr. Montano holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, a Master of Science and a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing from the University of Connecticut. She is board certified in Medical-Surgical Nursing and Oncology Nursing and has clinical experience in both subspecialties.

Her research has primarily focused on interprofessional models of care for community-dwelling older adults. Most recently, Dr. Montano completed a post-doctoral fellowship through the Office of Academic Affiliations at the Providence VA Medical Center, Center of Innovation in Long-term Services and Supports. During this time, she served as a Research Assistant at the School of Public Health at Brown University. Her work focused on improving care for older community-dwelling Veterans at-risk for unplanned care such as hospitalizations and emergency department visits. 

In her current role, Dr. Montano has lead several quality improvement and educational initiatives that have contributed to Hartford Hospitalā€™s NICHE Exemplar recognition and IHIā€™s Committed to Care Excellence Age-Friendly designation for the Hartford Healthcare system.

Robert Dicks, MD

Robert S. Dicks, MD FACP is a specialist in Geriatric and Internal Medicine.  He has served previously as Director of Geriatric Programs and Division Chief at Hartford Hospital, as Medical Director in SNFs and Hospice care, and as consultant to the Department of Public Health.  In these roles, he has had responsibilities in program development, education and training programs.

He is currently focused on consultative geriatric care in acute care/hospital and ambulatory settings and has worked collaboratively with Trauma and Oncology Surgical programs to implement focused geriatric assessment and risk management strategies. He has guided the establishment of a population health program focused on cognitive health in a disadvantaged community served by Hartford Hospital and was instrumental in developing the ADAPT program.  The ADAPT program, building best practices for prevention and management of delirium has received national recognition (IHI, JCHO, NICHE, other).  He serves as the Chair of the Hartford Healthcare Institutional Review Board.  He has completed numerous research projects relating to delirium, presenting results in national society meetings and publishing results, and is the recipient of numerous awards for teaching and clinical care.

Dr Dicks earned his medical degree with honors at Wayne State University and completed training in Internal Medicine while serving in the US Air Force. He completed fellowship training in Geriatric Medicine at the University of Connecticut where he is faculty and participates in training of students, residents and fellows.

Michelle NaiMichelle Nai, MSN, RN, GERO-BC

Michelle Nai is a dedicated and experienced geriatric nurse with over 20 years of service at Hartford Hospital. Beginning her career at Hartford Hospital in 2003, Michelle transitioned in 2017 to the role of Geriatric Nurse Educator and NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Health System Elders) Coordinator. In these roles, she focuses on advancing Age-Friendly care and improving outcomes for older adults through early identification, treatment, and management of delirium.

As a Geriatric Nurse Educator, Michelle is committed to the professional development of nurses at all stages of their careers, providing education and guidance for novice to expert practitioners. She is particularly passionate about training nursing staff in best practices related to geriatric care and delirium management.

In addition to her clinical responsibilities, Michelle serves as Adjunct Clinical Faculty at the University of Connecticut School of Nursing, where she educates and mentors nursing students. She also manages and oversees geriatric programs and educational classes, including the Geriatric Patient Care Tech (GPCT) program, and trains volunteers to support these initiatives.

Michelle has been involved in research that explores the use of multisensory interventions to improve long-term cognitive outcomes in hospitalized older adults, and she currently oversees Hartford Hospital's "Therapeutic Hub," a multisensory room designed to support patients' cognitive and emotional well-being.  In 2021 Michelle received the Nightingale award for her work related to geriatric best practices.

Maria JohnsonMaria Johnson, PA-C

Maria Johnson is a physician assistant with several years of acute care experience. She joined the inpatient Geriatrics team in 2022, having previously worked in critical care and hospital medicine at Hartford Hospital. She is a member of the American Geriatrics Society, among other local and national professional PA affiliations.

Maria graduated from Quinnipiac University with a dual degree Bachelorā€™s in Health Sciences followed by a Masters of Health Sciences with a concentration in Physician Assistant Studies. She has been a certified Physician Assistant since 2019. 

Marlon Mitchell, MD

Dr. Marlon Mitchell completed medical school and residency in Upstate NY. He then completed fellowship training at a house-call based geriatric medicine program in Washington, DC. He enjoys a wide range of geriatric medicine including consultative and nursing home care. He also enjoys hockey and brass instruments. 

 

Geriatric Medicine Specialists:

Marlon Mitchell

 

Geriatric Medicine

Medical Group Hartford Hospital Community Health
Hartford, CT 06106
Robert Dicks

 

Geriatric Medicine

Medical Group Hartford Hospital Community Health
Hartford, CT 06106
Vincent Varilla

 

Geriatric Medicine

Medical Group Hartford Hospital - Inpatient Geriatrics
Hartford, CT 06106

Contact the Department of Medicine