Abraham A. Brody
PhD RN FAAN
Assistant Dean for Transformational Excellence in Aging
Mathy Mezey Professor of Geriatric Nursing
ab.brody@nyu.edu
1 212 992 7341
433 First Ave
New York, NY 10010
United States
Abraham A. Brody's additional information
-
-
Abraham (Ab) Brody, PhD, RN, FAAN is Assistant Dean for Transformational Excellence in Aging, and the Mathy Mezey Professor of Geriatric Nursing and Professor of Medicine. In this capacity, he leads the robust Aging at Meyers portfolio of geriatrics and palliative care research, education, and external programs. He is also the founder of Aliviado Health, an implementation arm of HIGN focused on implementing high-quality, evidence-based care to support persons living with dementia and their care partners.
Prof. Brody’s research focuses on developing and testing interventions for diverse and underserved older adults with serious illnesses and their care partners. His work, tested in large-scale clinical trials leverages emerging technologies, including precision health and machine learning, to support the healthcare workforce, seriously ill individuals, and their families, and ensures that evidence-based solutions can be implemented effectively in real-world clinical settings.
An internationally recognized leader, he is uniquely situated amongst nurse scientist as a principal investigator of two large NIH funded consortiums. As an MPI of the NIA IMPACT Collaboratory, he works to advance the science of conducting large-scale pragmatic clinical trials to improve real-world care for persons living with dementia and their care partners. As an MPI of the ASCENT Palliative Care Consortium, he helps to build the next generation of palliative care science and scientists, where he leads the consortium’s methods cores as they build and support rigorous serious illness research. Prof. Brody is an experienced mentor and enjoys training early career faculty, PhD students, and post-doctoral scholars at NYU and nationally in geriatric and palliative care research.
-
-
PhD - University of California, San Francisco (2008)MSN - University of California, San Francisco (2006)BA - New York University, College of Arts and Sciences (2002)
-
-
Home carePalliative careNon-communicable diseaseHealth PolicyGerontologyInterprofessionalismChronic diseaseCommunity/population healthNeurologyResearch methodsUnderserved populations
-
-
American Academy of NursingAmerican Geriatrics SocietyEastern Nursing Research SocietyGerontological Society of AmericaHospice and Palliative Nurses AssociationSigma Theta Tau, Upsilon Chapter
-
-
Faculty Honors Awards
Distinguished Nursing Researcher Award, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (2025)Dean’s Excellence in Mentoring Award, NYU Meyers (2024)Fellow, Palliative Care Nursing, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (2017)Fellow, American Academy of Nursing (2017)Fellow, Gerontological Society of America (2016)Fellow, New York Academy of Medicine (2016)Nurse Faculty Scholar, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (2014)Sojourns Scholar, Cambia Health Foundation (2014)Goddard Fellowship, NYU (2013)Medical Reserve Corps, NYC, Hurricane Sandy Award (2013)Research Scholar, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (2010)Finalist, SRPP Section Young Investigator, Gerontological Society of America (2008)Edith M. Pritchard Award, Nurses' Education Funds (2006)Scholar, Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity, John A Hartford (2006)Finalist, Student Regent, University of California, San Francisco (2005)Inducted into Sigma Theta Tau, Nursing Honor Society (2004) -
-
Publications
Construction of the Digital Health Equity-Focused Implementation Research Conceptual Model - Bridging the Divide Between Equity-focused Digital Health and Implementation Research
AbstractBrody, A. A., Groom, L. L., Schoenthaler, A. M., Mann, D. M., & Brody, A. A. (2024). In PLOS digital health (Vols. 3, Issues 5, p. e0000509).AbstractDigital health implementations and investments continue to expand. As the reliance on digital health increases, it is imperative to implement technologies with inclusive and accessible approaches. A conceptual model can be used to guide equity-focused digital health implementations to improve suitability and uptake in diverse populations. The objective of this study is expand an implementation model with recommendations on the equitable implementation of new digital health technologies. The Digital Health Equity-Focused Implementation Research (DH-EquIR) conceptual model was developed based on a rigorous review of digital health implementation and health equity literature. The Equity-Focused Implementation Research for Health Programs (EquIR) model was used as a starting point and merged with digital equity and digital health implementation models. Existing theoretical frameworks and models were appraised as well as individual equity-sensitive implementation studies. Patient and program-related concepts related to digital equity, digital health implementation, and assessment of social/digital determinants of health were included. Sixty-two articles were analyzed to inform the adaption of the EquIR model for digital health. These articles included digital health equity models and frameworks, digital health implementation models and frameworks, research articles, guidelines, and concept analyses. Concepts were organized into EquIR conceptual groupings, including population health status, planning the program, designing the program, implementing the program, and equity-focused implementation outcomes. The adapted DH-EquIR conceptual model diagram was created as well as detailed tables displaying related equity concepts, evidence gaps in source articles, and analysis of existing equity-related models and tools. The DH-EquIR model serves to guide digital health developers and implementation specialists to promote the inclusion of health-equity planning in every phase of implementation. In addition, it can assist researchers and product developers to avoid repeating the mistakes that have led to inequities in the implementation of digital health across populations.Construction of the Digital Health Equity-Focused Implementation Research Conceptual Model - Bridging the Divide Between Equity-focused Digital Health and Implementation Research
AbstractGroom, L. L., Schoenthaler, A. M., Mann, D. M., & Brody, A. A. (2024). In PLOS Digital Health (Vols. 3, Issues 5). 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000509AbstractDigital health implementations and investments continue to expand. As the reliance on digital health increases, it is imperative to implement technologies with inclusive and accessible approaches. A conceptual model can be used to guide equity-focused digital health implementations to improve suitability and uptake in diverse populations. The objective of this study is expand an implementation model with recommendations on the equitable implementation of new digital health technologies. The Digital Health Equity-Focused Implementation Research (DH-EquIR) conceptual model was developed based on a rigorous review of digital health implementation and health equity literature. The Equity-Focused Implementation Research for Health Programs (EquIR) model was used as a starting point and merged with digital equity and digital health implementation models. Existing theoretical frameworks and models were appraised as well as individual equity-sensitive implementation studies. Patient and program-related concepts related to digital equity, digital health implementation, and assessment of social/digital determinants of health were included. Sixty-two articles were analyzed to inform the adaption of the EquIR model for digital health. These articles included digital health equity models and frameworks, digital health implementation models and frameworks, research articles, guidelines, and concept analyses. Concepts were organized into EquIR conceptual groupings, including population health status, planning the program, designing the program, implementing the program, and equity-focused implementation outcomes. The adapted DH-EquIR conceptual model diagram was created as well as detailed tables displaying related equity concepts, evidence gaps in source articles, and analysis of existing equity-related models and tools. The DH-EquIR model serves to guide digital health developers and implementation specialists to promote the inclusion of health-equity planning in every phase of implementation. In addition, it can assist researchers and product developers to avoid repeating the mistakes that have led to inequities in the implementation of digital health across populations.Defining and Validating Criteria to Identify Populations Who May Benefit from Home-Based Primary Care
AbstractSalinger, M. R., Ornstein, K. A., Kleijwegt, H., Brody, A. A., Leff, B., Mather, H., Reckrey, J., & Ritchie, C. S. (2024). In Medical care. 10.1097/MLR.0000000000002085AbstractBackground: Home-based primary care (HBPC) is an important care delivery model for high-need older adults. Currently, target patient populations vary across HBPC programs, hindering expansion and large-scale evaluation. Objectives: Develop and validate criteria that identify appropriate HBPC target populations. Research Design: A modified Delphi process was used to achieve expert consensus on criteria for identifying HBPC target populations. All criteria were defined and validated using linked data from Medicare claims and the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) (cohort n=21,727). Construct validation involved assessing demographics and health outcomes/expenditures for selected criteria. Subjects: Delphi panelists (n=29) represented diverse professional perspectives. Criteria were validated on community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries (age above 70) enrolled in NHATS. Measures: Criteria were selected via Delphi questionnaires. For construct validation, sociodemographic characteristics of Medicare beneficiaries were self-reported in NHATS, and annual health care expenditures and mortality were obtained via linked Medicare claims. Results: Panelists proposed an algorithm of criteria for HBPC target populations that included indicators for serious illness, functional impairment, and social isolation. The algorithm's Delphi-selected criteria applied to 16.8% of Medicare beneficiaries. These HBPC target populations had higher annual health care costs [Med (IQR): $10,851 (3316, 31,556) vs. $2830 (913, 9574)] and higher 12-month mortality [15% (95% CI: 14, 17) vs. 5% (95% CI: 4, 5)] compared with the total validation cohort. Conclusions: We developed and validated an algorithm to define target populations for HBPC, which suggests a need for increased HBPC availability. By enabling objective identification of unmet demands for HBPC access or resources, this algorithm can foster robust evaluation and equitable expansion of HBPC.Emergency Department Visits among Patients with Dementia before and after Diagnosis
AbstractGettel, C. J., Song, Y., Rothenberg, C., Kitchen, C., Gilmore-Bykovskyi, A., Fried, T. R., Brody, A. A., Nothelle, S., Wolff, J. L., & Venkatesh, A. K. (2024). In JAMA network open (Vols. 7, Issues 10, p. e2439421). 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.39421Abstract~Emergency Department Visits Among Patients With Dementia Before and After Diagnosis
AbstractBrody, A. A., Gettel, C. J., Song, Y., Rothenberg, C., Kitchen, C., Gilmore-Bykovskyi, A., Fried, T. R., Brody, A. A., Nothelle, S., Wolff, J. L., & Venkatesh, A. K. (2024). In JAMA network open (Vols. 7, Issues 10, p. e2439421).Abstract~Emergency Nurses' Perceived Barriers and Solutions to Engaging Patients With Life-Limiting Illnesses in Serious Illness Conversations: A United States Multicenter Mixed-Method Analysis
Failed generating bibliography.AbstractAbstractThis study aimed to assess emergency nurses' perceived barriers toward engaging patients in serious illness conversations.Evaluating Large Language Models in extracting cognitive exam dates and scores
AbstractBrody, A. A., Zhang, H., Jethani, N., Jones, S., Genes, N., Major, V. J., Jaffe, I. S., Cardillo, A. B., Heilenbach, N., Ali, N. F. F., Bonanni, L. J., Clayburn, A. J., Khera, Z., Sadler, E. C., Prasad, J., Schlacter, J., Liu, K., Silva, B., Montgomery, S., … Razavian, N. (2024). In PLOS digital health (Vols. 3, Issues 12, p. e0000685).AbstractEnsuring reliability of Large Language Models (LLMs) in clinical tasks is crucial. Our study assesses two state-of-the-art LLMs (ChatGPT and LlaMA-2) for extracting clinical information, focusing on cognitive tests like MMSE and CDR. Our data consisted of 135,307 clinical notes (Jan 12th, 2010 to May 24th, 2023) mentioning MMSE, CDR, or MoCA. After applying inclusion criteria 34,465 notes remained, of which 765 underwent ChatGPT (GPT-4) and LlaMA-2, and 22 experts reviewed the responses. ChatGPT successfully extracted MMSE and CDR instances with dates from 742 notes. We used 20 notes for fine-tuning and training the reviewers. The remaining 722 were assigned to reviewers, with 309 each assigned to two reviewers simultaneously. Inter-rater-agreement (Fleiss' Kappa), precision, recall, true/false negative rates, and accuracy were calculated. Our study follows TRIPOD reporting guidelines for model validation. For MMSE information extraction, ChatGPT (vs. LlaMA-2) achieved accuracy of 83% (vs. 66.4%), sensitivity of 89.7% (vs. 69.9%), true-negative rates of 96% (vs 60.0%), and precision of 82.7% (vs 62.2%). For CDR the results were lower overall, with accuracy of 87.1% (vs. 74.5%), sensitivity of 84.3% (vs. 39.7%), true-negative rates of 99.8% (98.4%), and precision of 48.3% (vs. 16.1%). We qualitatively evaluated the MMSE errors of ChatGPT and LlaMA-2 on double-reviewed notes. LlaMA-2 errors included 27 cases of total hallucination, 19 cases of reporting other scores instead of MMSE, 25 missed scores, and 23 cases of reporting only the wrong date. In comparison, ChatGPT's errors included only 3 cases of total hallucination, 17 cases of wrong test reported instead of MMSE, and 19 cases of reporting a wrong date. In this diagnostic/prognostic study of ChatGPT and LlaMA-2 for extracting cognitive exam dates and scores from clinical notes, ChatGPT exhibited high accuracy, with better performance compared to LlaMA-2. The use of LLMs could benefit dementia research and clinical care, by identifying eligible patients for treatments initialization or clinical trial enrollments. Rigorous evaluation of LLMs is crucial to understanding their capabilities and limitations.Evaluating Large Language Models in extracting cognitive exam dates and scores
AbstractZhang, H., Jethani, N., Jones, S., Genes, N., Major, V. J., Jaffe, I. S., Cardillo, A. B., Heilenbach, N., Ali, N. F., Bonanni, L. J., Clayburn, A. J., Khera, Z., Sadler, E. C., Prasad, J., Schlacter, J., Liu, K., Silva, B., Montgomery, S., Kim, E. J., … Razavian, N. (2024). In PLOS Digital Health (Vols. 3, Issues 12). 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000685AbstractEnsuring reliability of Large Language Models (LLMs) in clinical tasks is crucial. Our study assesses two state-of-the-art LLMs (ChatGPT and LlaMA-2) for extracting clinical information, focusing on cognitive tests like MMSE and CDR. Our data consisted of 135,307 clinical notes (Jan 12th, 2010 to May 24th, 2023) mentioning MMSE, CDR, or MoCA. After applying inclusion criteria 34,465 notes remained, of which 765 underwent ChatGPT (GPT-4) and LlaMA-2, and 22 experts reviewed the responses. ChatGPT successfully extracted MMSE and CDR instances with dates from 742 notes. We used 20 notes for fine-tuning and training the reviewers. The remaining 722 were assigned to reviewers, with 309 each assigned to two reviewers simultaneously. Inter-rater-agreement (Fleiss’ Kappa), precision, recall, true/ false negative rates, and accuracy were calculated. Our study follows TRIPOD reporting guidelines for model validation. For MMSE information extraction, ChatGPT (vs. LlaMA-2) achieved accuracy of 83% (vs. 66.4%), sensitivity of 89.7% (vs. 69.9%), true-negative rates of 96% (vs 60.0%), and precision of 82.7% (vs 62.2%). For CDR the results were lower overall, with accuracy of 87.1% (vs. 74.5%), sensitivity of 84.3% (vs. 39.7%), true-negative rates of 99.8% (98.4%), and precision of 48.3% (vs. 16.1%). We qualitatively evaluated the MMSE errors of ChatGPT and LlaMA-2 on double-reviewed notes. LlaMA-2 errors included 27 cases of total hallucination, 19 cases of reporting other scores instead of MMSE, 25 missed scores, and 23 cases of reporting only the wrong date. In comparison, ChatGPT’s errors included only 3 cases of total hallucination, 17 cases of wrong test reported instead of MMSE, and 19 cases of reporting a wrong date. In this diagnostic/prognostic study of ChatGPT and LlaMA-2 for extracting cognitive exam dates and scores from clinical notes, ChatGPT exhibited high accuracy, with better performance compared to LlaMA-2. The use of LLMs could benefit dementia research and clinical care, by identifying eligible patients for treatments initialization or clinical trial enrollments. Rigorous evaluation of LLMs is crucial to understanding their capabilities and limitations.An Evolutionary Concept Analysis of the "fighter" in the Intensive Care Unit
AbstractMoreines, L. T., Brody, A. A., & Murali, K. P. (2024). In Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing (Vols. 26, Issues 3, pp. 158-165). 10.1097/NJH.0000000000001017AbstractThe purpose of this article was to analyze the concept of "the fighter in the intensive care unit (ICU)"per the scientific literature and the impact this mentality has on care administered in the ICU. A literature review and a concept analysis based on Rodger's evolutionary method were performed to identify surrogate terms, antecedents, attributes, and consequences pertaining to the "fighter"in the ICU. Thirteen articles with a focus on "the fighter"were included in this analysis. There is a strong desire to remain optimistic and maintain high spirits as a coping mechanism in the face of extreme prognostic uncertainty. Themes that emerged from the literature were the need to find inner strength and persist in the face of adversity. The concept of "the fighter in the ICU"can serve as either adaptive or maladaptive coping, depending on the larger clinical picture. Patient experiences in the ICU are fraught with physical and psychological distress. How the patient and family unit cope during this anxiety-provoking time is based on the individual. Maintaining optimism and identifying as a fighter can be healthy ways to adapt to the circumstances. This concept analysis highlights the importance of holistic care and instilling hope particularly as patients may be nearing the end of life.Implementation Outcomes for the SLUMBER Sleep Improvement Program in Long-Term Care
AbstractChodosh, J., Cadogan, M., Brody, A. A., Mitchell, M. N., Hernandez, D. E., Mangold, M., Alessi, C. A., Song, Y., & Martin, J. L. (2024). In Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. 10.1016/j.jamda.2024.02.004AbstractObjectives: To describe the implementation of a mentored staff-delivered sleep program in nursing facilities. Design: Modified stepped-wedge unit-level intervention. Setting and Participants: This program was implemented in 2 New York City nursing facilities, with partial implementation (due to COVID-19) in a third facility. Methods: Expert mentors provided staff webinars, in-person workshops, and weekly sleep pearls via text messaging. We used the integrated Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (i-PARiHS) framework as a post hoc approach to describe key elements of the SLUMBER implementation. We measured staff participation in unit-level procedures and noted their commentary during unit workshops. Results: We completed SLUMBER within 5 units across 2 facilities and held 15 leadership meetings before and during program implementation. Sessions on each unit included 3 virtual webinar presentations and 4 in-person workshops for each nursing shift, held over a period of 3 to 4 months. Staff attendance averaged >3 sessions per individual staff member. Approximately 65% of staff present on each unit participated in any given session. Text messaging was useful for engagement, educational reinforcement, and encouraging attendance. We elevated staff as experts in the care of their residents as a strategy for staff engagement and behavior change and solicited challenging cases from staff during workshops to provide strategies to address resident behavior and encourage adoption when successful. Conclusions and Implications: Engaging staff, leadership, residents, and family of nursing facilities in implementing a multicomponent sleep quality improvement program is feasible for improving nursing facilities’ sleep environment. The program required gaining trust at multiple levels through presence and empathy, and reinforcement mechanisms (primarily text messages). To improve scalability, SLUMBER could evolve from an interdisciplinary investigator-based approach to internal coaches in a train-the-trainer model to effectively and sustainably implement this program to improve sleep quality for facility residents. -
-
Media
-
-
Active Projects