Steven Handler, MD, PhD, CMD, is an Associate Professor in the Division of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, with secondary appointments in Biomedical Informatics and Clinical and Translational Research. He is the Co-Director of the Pittsburgh Pepper Center and Medical Director of the Healthy Home Lab. At the Veterans Affairs (VA), he is the Director of the Technology Enhancing Cognition and Health – Geriatrics Research, Education, and Clinical Center (TECH-GRECC), a Geriatric Center of Excellence that serves Older Veterans in VISN 4. Dr. Handler's work focuses on improving medication safety, telemedicine, and quality of care in post-acute and long-term care settings. A practicing geriatrician, he has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles in his primary research areas, which include medication and patient safety, telemedicine, and quality improvement in post-acute and long-term care settings.
- BS, Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, 1993
- MD, Rutgers Health New Jersey Medical School, 1997
- MS, Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, 2004
- PhD, Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, 2010
- Residency, Family Medicine, Family Practice Residency Program, Tufts University, 2000
- Fellowship, Geriatric Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, 2002
Education & Training
Biese K, Handler SM, Wardlow L, Agha Z. Telehealth with older adults: Getting it right. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2022 Dec;70(12):3359-3361. doi: 10.1111/jgs.18090. Epub 2022 Nov 1. PMID: 36320092.
Persell SD, Brown T, Doctor JN, Fox CR, Goldstein NJ, Handler SM, Hanlon JT, Lee JY, Linder JA, Meeker D, Rowe TA, Sullivan MD, Friedberg MW. Development of High-Risk Geriatric Polypharmacy Electronic Clinical Quality Measures and a Pilot Test of EHR Nudges Based on These Measures. J Gen Intern Med. 2022 Aug;37(11):2777-2785. doi: 10.1007/s11606-021-07296-1. Epub 2022 Jan 6. PMID: 34993860; PMCID: PMC9411452.
Gillespie SM, Moser AL, Gokula M, Edmondson T, Rees J, Nelson D, Handler SM. Standards for the Use of Telemedicine for Evaluation and Management of Resident Change of Condition in the Nursing Home. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2019 Feb;20(2):115-122. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2018.11.022. PMID: 30691620.
Bayoumi I, Al Balas M, Handler SM, Dolovich L, Hutchison B, Holbrook A. The effectiveness of computerized drug-lab alerts: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Med Inform. 2014 Jun;83(6):406-15. doi:10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2014.03.003. Epub 2014 Mar 29. PMID: 24793784.
Marcum ZA, Sevick MA, Handler SM. Medication nonadherence: a diagnosable and treatable medical condition. JAMA. 2013 May 22;309(20):2105-6. doi:
10.1001/jama.2013.4638. PMID: 23695479; PMCID: PMC3976600.
