Geriatrics Service

History of the Geriatric Medicine Service at the INCMNSZ

The service of Geriatric Medicine appeared in our institution, formerly known as Instituto Nacional de la Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (National Institute of Nutrition “Salvador Zubirán”), under the vision of its always-enthusiastic founder, Dr. Luis Manuel Gutiérrez Robledo and supported by other specialists and consolidated members of the Mexican medical elite (figures such as Dr. José de Jesús Villalobos and Dr. Manuel Campuzano Fernández). Ever since, this service has rapidly grown and evolved to become a prestigious reference center of Mexican geriatric medicine and one of the largest academic institutions that forms national geriatricians.

In March 1994, the Geriatric Medicine Residency Program started under the auspice of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) (National Autonomous University of Mexico), thus becoming the first university-affiliated Geriatric Medicine program in the country. At that point the teaching of the future geriatricians took place in different hospitals such as the Hospital Español (Spanish Hospital) and the Centro Gerontológico “Arturo Mundet” (Gerontological Center “Arturo Mundet”).

The first multidisciplinary team was headed by Dr. Luis Miguel Gutiérrez Robledo. Other members of this team were Dr. Juan José Morales Virgen, Cecilia Castillo Rentería in social work, Leticia Valdez Martínez and Rita González Ramírez as eldercare providers, as well as Mercedes Juárez in administrative duties.

The first geriatrician that graduated from this institution was Dr. Jorge Antonio Reyes Guerrero who became part of the service staff immediately. Ever since, ninety-nine geriatricians have graduated from this service, most of them perform important academic duties all over the country.

Around that time, the research in epidemiology of ageing in the country kicked off and several collaborations with national and international institutions, such as the Pan-American Health Organization, appeared and the results can be observed in studies like SABE, ENASEM, CRONOS, and the Cohort of Coyoacán.

In 1998 the Cognitive Disorders Clinic was founded. This is the first one of its kind at the national level.

Since 1993, excellent geriatricians have graduated from our center. This has proven a magnet for high quality physicians with great expectations for a future in geriatric medicine or who just want to experience geriatrics as part of a either a clinical of a research elective. We have had visiting physicians from El Salvador, Nicaragua, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Spain, France, and Canada. Our graduates usually partake on private practice as well as institutional practice activities. A significant part of them hold important positions such as program directors, chiefs of service, chiefs of education, and state health ministers across Mexico. Several of our graduates have also pursued postgraduate studies abroad.

For fifteen years our service has hosted the Specialty Program on Geriatric Nursing. The current director is Dr. Juan Miguel Antonio García Lara.

Our service has several students pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees as well as post-doctoral research. This is accomplished by carrying out research projects within our clinic and in collaboration with other institutions.

In 2001, the Academia Latinoamericana de Medicina del Adulto Mayor (Latin American Academy for the Older Adult) was co-founded by Dr. Luis Miguel Gutiérrez Robledo.

Our service has become a member of multiple associations like The International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and The Global Ageing Research Network.

Our staff and residents have participated in national and international meetings of geriatric medicine.

In 2008, our hospital opened the first ward devoted exclusively to inpatient geriatric medicine. This ward has 12 beds and a multidisciplinary team in charge of our patients.

In 2009, Dr. Luis Miguel Gutiérrez Robledo leaves our institution to become the General Director of the Insituto Nacional de Geriatría de México (National Institute of Geriatrics of Mexico) and his position as service director is taken by Dr. José Alberto Ávila Funes, who continues to lead the service.

In 2012, the Geriatric Neurology Fellowship Program, headed by Dr. Alberto Mimenza Alvarado, is established in our service. This university-affiliated fellowship is the first and only of its kind in the country.

In 2015, Dr. Sara Aguilar Navarro assumes the charge of Program Director of the Geriatric Medicine Residency Program substituting Dr. Emilio García Mayo.

In 2015, our service establishes the Cancer Clinic for Older Adults, headed by Drs. Ana Patricia Navarrete Reyes and Enrique Soto Pérez de Celis.

In 2015, Drs. Odín Vásquez Valdéz and Juan Cuadros Moreno start the Ancillary Support Clinic for Older Adults.