Downstate – VA Partnership – Better Surgical Care for Older Adults

By Office of the President | Nov 4, 2025

Downstate continues to strengthen its partnership with the VA New York Harbor Health Care System through research that informs better care for aging patients. A recent study led by Downstate and VA investigators, published in JAMA Surgery on October 15, examines how preoperative social support influences recovery and readmission risk among adults aged 75 and older.

The research, “Preoperative Social Support and Impact on Outcomes After Elective Surgery in Older Adults,” analyzed more than 210,000 elective operations nationwide through the American College of Surgeons’ National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. The study found that older adults living alone before surgery were not at higher risk for unplanned readmission or mortality than those living with support—evidence that challenges common assumptions and points to the importance of individualized, data-driven surgical planning.

Presented earlier this year at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Association of Veterans Affairs Surgeons, the work highlights Downstate’s commitment to collaborative, population-based research. Senior author Sherene E. Sharath, Ph.D., MPH, noted that the VA-Downstate partnership demonstrates how academic and federal institutions can collaborate to enhance care for the nation’s aging population. She added that the collaboration helps translate large-scale data into clear, actionable insights that improve surgical outcomes for veterans and the broader community. 

Downstate contributors include Karlynn Holland, MPH; Patrycja Lis; Steven Medvedovsky; Claire Ferguson, M.D.; Dewi Sihaloho, MPH; and Panos Kougias, M.D., MSc, from the Departments of Surgery and Epidemiology & Biostatistics, in partnership with the VA New York Harbor Health Care System. Drs. Kougias and Sharath are affiliated with the VA New York Harbor Health Care System.

Student pipeline note: Two co-authors, Karlynn Holland and Patrycja Lis, participated in STRIDES (Student Research Internship in Disparities and Equity Studies), a Downstate program that offers a mentored, stipend-supported research experience focused on methods, analysis, and scholarship at the intersection of health disparities and equity.