Dr. Richard G. Stefanacci, executive director of the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia Center for Medicare Medication Management, was chosen as this year’s recipient of the Barbara Bell, MD Memorial Award. Dr. Stefanacci will receive the award at a ceremony on Monday, Dec. 8, 2008, at the Union League of Philadelphia.
The award, given yearly by the Society, honors individuals who have significantly contributed to geriatrics care and education. In recognition of Dr. Stefanacci’s contributions to the field, board member Llene Warner Maron, PhD, called him “one of the most prolific authors of journal articles that translated the regulations involving geriatrics into practice, to bring the information to practitioners.” The Eastern Pennsylvania Geriatrics Society is the local affiliate of the American Geriatrics Society. The Barbara Bell, MD Memorial Award was developed to honor the memory of Barbara Bell, a member of the Eastern Pennsylvania Geriatrics Society board of directors before her passing.
Dr. Stefanacci is the founding executive director of the geriatric health program at University of the Sciences. Through his work at the University’s Mayes College of Healthcare Business and Policy, Dr. Stefanacci continues to build upon his efforts as a Health Policy Scholar at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), as well as a geriatrician and professor. Additionally, Dr. Stefanacci is involved with NewCourtland Elder Services, a nationally recognized leader in long-term care, where he oversees the medication dispensing and prescribing systems, and the NewCourtland Living Independently for Elders (LIFE) program. Dr. Stefanacci also serves as editor for Medicare Patient Management and Assisted Living Consult.
At CMS, Dr. Stefanacci spent a year working on the policy and implementation of the Medicare Part D Pharmacy Benefit especially regarding access issues for frail elderly. Additional specific areas of focus for him include the Alzheimer’s Disease Screening and Treatment Discussion Group as well as the Alliance for Advancing Senior Health.
In addition to earning his doctor of osteopathic medicine degree, Dr. Stefanacci holds master’s degrees in geriatric health as well as business administration. He is also board certified in Quality Assurance and Utilization as well as being a Certified Medical Director (CMD).
Among his extensive accomplishments, Dr. Stefanacci founded with his children, family and friends the Go4theGoal Foundation, a 501(c)3 public charity established when his oldest son was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma in May 2006. Dr. Stefanacci developed an intense dedication to the foundation following his son’s passing on June 12, 2007, and to-date, the foundation has raised more than $1 million to assist hundreds of children affected by cancer, while funding cutting-edge research to find a cure.
Dr. Stefanacci resides in Merchantville, N.J., with his family.