Greg A. Sachs, MD

Contact : sachsg@iu.edu

People with dementia and their family caregivers remain one of the groups in greatest need of better health care -- care that attends to the unique challenges that this illness causes for patients, families, and communities.

Initiatives

Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias

Research Scientist, Indiana University Center for Aging Research at Regenstrief Institute
Division Chief, General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Indiana University
Professor of Medicine and Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine
Co-Director, Research in Palliative and End-of-Life Communication and Training (RESPECT) Center, Indiana University

Dr. Greg Sachs’s research and writing focus on ethical issues in dementia care, including palliative care for people with dementia. Dr. Sachs has been the recipient of grants from the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the leading foundations funding research in geriatrics, ethics, or palliative care. He has published more than 150 articles in peer-reviewed journals, with one of his most notable papers being “Dying from Dementia,” which appeared in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Dr. Sachs has received the Outstanding Scientific Achievement for Clinical Investigation Award from the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and was a medical honoree of the national Alzheimer’s Association. He has taken on leadership roles in several organizations, including serving on the national board of directors of AGS, the editorial board of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, and chairing both the Academic Task Force and Leadership and Workforce Strategic Coordinating Committee for the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Board certified in internal medicine, geriatrics, and palliative care, Dr. Sachs also has been named regularly as a “Top Doctor” by Indianapolis Monthly having previously been named a “Top Doctor” in Chicago, and a U.S. “Top Doctor” for more than 20 consecutive years.

In 2023, Dr. Sachs received the IU School of Medicine’s Excellence in Faculty Mentoring Award.

Featured Projects

Indiana Excellence in Alzheimer’s Care Efforts (IN-PEACE)

(NIH/NIA) (2018-2023)

Role: Principal Investigator

This is the first RCT of a palliative care intervention for community dwelling patients with moderate to severe dementia and their caregivers.

Palliative Care for Persons with Late-stage Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias and their Caregivers: a Randomized Clinical Trial

(NIH/NIA) (2020-2025)

Role: Site-PI and Co-Investigator

This is a RCT comparing a dementia-specific palliative care consult and transitional care assistance versus usual care for hospitalized patients with moderate to severe dementia.

Highlighted Publications

June 28, 2000

Treating Nondementia Illnesses in Patients With Dementia

Publication: Journal of the American Medical Association

doi: 10.1001/jama.283.24.3230

Authors: Brauner DJ, Muir JC, Sachs GA

Nov 15, 2000

A piece of my mind: Sometimes dying still stings

Publication: Journal of the American Medical Association

doi: 10.1001/jama.284.19.2423

Authors: Sachs, GA

Oct 2004

Barriers to Excellent End-of-life Care for Patients with Dementia

Publication: Journal of General Internal Medicine

doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1497.2004.30329.x

Authors: Sachs GA, Shega JW, Cox-Hayley D

Dec 2004

Pain in community- dwelling persons with dementia: frequency, intensity, and congruence between patient and caregiver report

Publication: Journal of Pain & Symptom Management

doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2004.04.012

Authors: Shega JW, Hougham GW, Stocking CB, Cox-Hayley D, Sachs GA

Mar 27, 2006

Reconsidering medication appropriateness for patients late in life

Publication: Archives of Internal Medicine

doi: 10.1001/archinte.166.6.605

Authors: Holmes HM, Cox Hayley D, Alexander GC, Sachs GA

May 1, 2008

Patients dying with dementia: experience at the end of life and impact of hospice care

Publication: Journal of Pain & Symptom Management

doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2007.06.011

Authors: Shega JW, Hougham GW, Stocking CB, Cox-Hayley D, Sachs GA

Oct 15, 2009

Dying from dementia

Publication: New England Journal of Medicine

doi: 10.1056/NEJMe0905988

Authors: Sachs, GA

Sept 6, 2011

Cognitive impairment: an independent predictor of excess mortality: a cohort study

Publication: Annals of Internal Medicine

doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-155-5-201109060-00007

Authors: Sachs GA, Carter R, Holtz LR, Smith F, Stump TE, Tu W, Callahan CM

Aug 2013

Caregiver perspectives on cancer screening for persons with dementia: "why put them through it?"

Publication: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

doi: 10.1111/jgs.12359

Authors: Torke AM, Schwartz PH, Holtz LR, Montz K, Sachs GA

Jan 2015

The Optimizing Patient Transfers, Impacting Medical Quality, and Improving Symptoms: Transforming Institutional Care approach: preliminary data from the implementation of a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services nursing facility demonstration project

Publication: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

doi: 10.1111/jgs.13141

Authors: Unroe KT, Nazir A, Holtz LR, Maurer H, Miller E, Hickman SE, La Mantia MA, Bennett M, Arling G, Sachs GA

Aug 2019

Systematic Advance Care Planning and Potentially Avoidable Hospitalizations of Nursing Facility Residents

Publication: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

doi: 10.1111/jgs.15927

Authors: Hickman SE, Unroe KT, Ersek M, Stump TE, Tu W, Ott M, Sachs GA

Apr 2021

Continuing Research During a Crisis

Publication: Journal of General Internal Medicine

doi: 10.1007/s11606-021-06636-5

Authors: Kroenke K, Bair MJ, Sachs GA

Greg A. Sachs, MD

Featured Projects

Highlighted Publications

Treating Nondementia Illnesses in Patients With Dementia

A piece of my mind: Sometimes dying still stings

Barriers to Excellent End-of-life Care for Patients with Dementia

Pain in community- dwelling persons with dementia: frequency, intensity, and congruence between patient and caregiver report

Reconsidering medication appropriateness for patients late in life

Patients dying with dementia: experience at the end of life and impact of hospice care

Dying from dementia

Cognitive impairment: an independent predictor of excess mortality: a cohort study

Caregiver perspectives on cancer screening for persons with dementia: "why put them through it?"

The Optimizing Patient Transfers, Impacting Medical Quality, and Improving Symptoms: Transforming Institutional Care approach: preliminary data from the implementation of a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services nursing facility demonstration project

Systematic Advance Care Planning and Potentially Avoidable Hospitalizations of Nursing Facility Residents

Continuing Research During a Crisis

Projects

IN-PEACE

Decisions about Cancer Screening in Alzheimer’s Disease – DECAD

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In The News

Influence

Featured Fellowship

People

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Caring for the emotional and spiritual needs...

Greg A. Sachs, MD

Featured Projects

Highlighted Publications

Projects