Asian Pacific Geriatric Medicine Society

Asian Pacific Geriatric Medicine Society
Name	Asian Pacific Geriatric Medicine Society
Abbreviation	APGMS
Formation	1990s
Type	Professional association
Region served	Asia-Pacific
Headquarters	Taipei
Membership	Physicians, geriatricians, researchers
Leader title	President

Asian Pacific Geriatric Medicine Society is a regional professional association dedicated to the clinical care, research, and policy development for older adults across the Asia-Pacific region. Founded in the late 20th century, the organization convenes clinicians, researchers, and policymakers from nations such as China, Japan, India, Australia, and South Korea to address demographic ageing, multimorbidity, and long-term care challenges. The Society functions through conferences, educational programs, and collaborative research initiatives involving universities, hospitals, and public health agencies.

History

The Society emerged amid demographic transitions highlighted by sources linked to United Nations, World Health Organization, Asian Development Bank, International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, and regional health ministries. Early formative meetings attracted delegates from Taiwan, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand alongside representatives from institutions such as National University of Singapore, Peking University, University of Tokyo, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, and University of Sydney. Influential figures from centers like Johns Hopkins University, Karolinska Institutet, and King's College London provided mentorship, while policy dialogues referenced frameworks from WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, World Bank, and Asian Development Bank. The Society’s timeline intersects with milestones including the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, regional geriatric congresses, and the expansion of geriatrics curricula at universities such as Seoul National University and Hong Kong University.

Mission and Objectives

The Society's mission aligns with priorities advanced by organizations like World Health Organization, United Nations Population Fund, International Federation on Ageing, and national health agencies such as Ministry of Health (Japan), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (India), and Department of Health (Philippines). Objectives emphasize improving clinical geriatrics through collaborations with hospitals and academic centers including Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Monash University, University of Melbourne, and Yonsei University Hospital. The Society promotes standards akin to guidelines from National Institutes of Health, Royal College of Physicians, American Geriatrics Society, and professional colleges across Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and United Kingdom.

Membership and Governance

Membership comprises geriatricians, general physicians, gerontologists, nurses, and allied health professionals from institutions like Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Kawasaki Medical School, AIIMS Delhi, Prince of Wales Hospital (Hong Kong), and Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. Governance structures mirror models used by International Committee of the Red Cross, World Medical Association, and regional societies such as Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health and Asian Development Bank. Elected officers include a President, Secretary-General, Treasurer, and regional councilors representing countries including Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Committees collaborate with academic partners such as Duke-NUS Medical School, Fudan University, and Mahidol University.

Conferences and Activities

The Society organizes biennial and annual congresses attracting speakers from Harvard Medical School, Stanford University School of Medicine, Imperial College London, University of Oxford, and University of California, San Francisco. Activities incorporate training workshops, symposia on dementia and frailty involving research teams from Alzheimer's Disease International, Dementia Research Centre (UCL), and multicenter trials with sites at Tata Memorial Hospital, Royal Perth Hospital, and Christchurch Hospital. The program often features sessions on long-term care models referencing initiatives in Japan, Singapore, Sweden, and Netherlands and policy panels with delegations from Asian Development Bank, World Health Organization, and UNICEF.

Research, Education, and Training

The Society supports multicenter research consortia and registries in partnership with universities and institutes such as Peking University Health Science Center, Osaka University, University of Hong Kong, National Taiwan University Hospital, and Korea University. Training programs include fellowships and continuing medical education modeled on curricula from American Board of Internal Medicine, Royal Australasian College of Physicians, and postgraduate programs at University of Auckland and University of Manchester. Research priorities address geriatric syndromes, pharmacotherapy, and health services research in collaboration with funders and networks like Wellcome Trust, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and Australian National Health and Medical Research Council.

Collaborations and Regional Impact

Collaborations extend to intergovernmental and nongovernmental partners including World Health Organization, United Nations, Asian Development Bank, International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics, and national public health agencies. The Society has influenced policy dialogues in capitals such as Beijing, Tokyo, New Delhi, Canberra, and Seoul and contributed to capacity building at hospitals including Singapore General Hospital, Changi General Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, and St. Luke's Medical Center (Philippines). Outcomes include guideline adoption, expanded geriatric training programs at universities such as University of the Philippines, Chulalongkorn University, and Universitas Indonesia, and regional research networks with centers in Xi'an, Hanoi, Colombo, and Kathmandu.

Category:Medical associations Category:Geriatrics