Staff Physician, Geriatrics Service, SFVAMC
Assistant Adjunct Professor of Geriatrics, UCSF

Email: Sei.Lee@va.gov

Dr. Lee conducts research to improve the accuracy of prognosis -- the prediction of disease outcome -- among elderly patients and to explore the application of geriatric prognostic information to improve patient care. Dr. Lee has shown that measures of function, such as the ability to walk several blocks, are powerful predictors of mortality, even when numerous other measures are taken into account.  Furthermore, Dr. Lee has shown that measures of functional status are more important in predicting mortality than disease diagnoses among the most elderly patients. Dr. Lee is currently working on improving prognostic accuracy in specific diseases as well as incorporating prognostic information into electronic medical records and clinical guidelines. These studies will allow better targeting of medical interventions so that more veterans who are likely to benefit and fewer who are unlikely to benefit will receive the intervention.

Lee SJ, Lindquist K, Segal MR, Covinsky KE. 2006. Development and validation of a prognostic index for 4-year mortality in older adults. JAMA 295(7):801-8.

Lee SJ, Go AS, Lindquist K, Bertenthal DB, Covinsky KE. 2008.  Chronic conditions are less predictive of mortality in the oldest old.  Am J Public Health 98(7):1209-14.