School of Medicine
Chair of Geriatrics
Profile of the Chair
The Chair of Geriatrics at Witten/Herdecke University is based at Dortmund University Hospital and is currently held on an interim basis by Professor Thomas Reinbold, MD.
Chair holder
Prof. Dr. med.
Thomas Reinbold
Acting Chair
Faculty of Health (School of Medicine) | Chair of Geriatrics
Beurhausstraße 40
44137 Dortmund
Room number: E-Gebäude
Research
The main research specialisations at the Department of Geriatrics at Dortmund Hospital include:
- Malnutrition in older people
- Delirium and dementia in older people
- Chronic wounds and diabetes in older people
- Geriatric traumatology
- Digitalisation in geriatric medicine
These research specialisations encompass a range of individual aspects:
- The relevance of nutritional status in older people
- Methods for assessing the nutritional status of older people
- The significance of protein-energy malnutrition in older people
- Prevalence and significance of micronutrient deficiencies in older people
- Nutritional therapy in older people
- Refeeding syndrome in older people
- Measurement of body composition in older people
- Measurement of muscle strength and muscle mass in older people
- Diagnosis, significance and treatment of sarcopenia
- The association between osteoporosis and sarcopenia
- Diagnosis and treatment of oropharyngeal dysphagia in older people
- Causes of oropharyngeal dysphagia in older people
- Wounds and nutrition in older people
- Sleep disorders and diabetes in older people
- Risk factors for delirium and dementia in elderly patients
Publications
All publications from the Chair of Geriatrics at UW/H are listed in the university bibliography.
Teaching
The Department of Geriatrics at Dortmund University Hospital, under the leadership of Prof. Dr Thomas Reinbold, contributes to the teaching of the interdisciplinary module QB07, ‘Medicine of Ageing and the Elderly’, as part of the model medical degree programme, culminating in a final examination colloquium. This involves a 28-hour block of lectures on the key topics in geriatric medicine, supported by several highly experienced geriatric specialists:
- Introduction to geriatric medicine
- Geriatric assessment
- Musculoskeletal disorders in older people
- Gait disorders and falls
- Dementia in older people
- Delirium
- Sarcopenia
- Malnutrition
- Micronutrients in older people
- Diabetes in older people
- Oropharyngeal dysphagia in older people
- Chronic wounds in older people
- Uro- and neurogeriatrics
- Geriatric traumatology
- Pharmacotherapy and polypharmacy in older people
- Insomnia
- Ethical aspects of geriatric medicine
- Age-specific conditions in older people
- Provision of assistive devices, home adaptations and discharge management
- Rehabilitation in older adults
Furthermore, all medical students have the opportunity to undertake clinical placements, either individually or in small groups, at the Department of Geriatrics in Dortmund. This bedside teaching is organised into various key areas:
- Geriatric assessment
- Gait disorders and falls, geriatric traumatology
- Nutrition and dysphagia
- Diabetes in older people
During the practical year, students have the option of choosing geriatrics as an elective or as a block of several weeks within the internal medicine rotation. Various clinical year seminars on topics in geriatrics are held throughout the practical year. By arrangement, medical students also have the opportunity to undertake clinical clerkships at the Department of Geriatrics.
Furthermore, students receive training in geriatric dentistry and in the interdisciplinary field of rehabilitation, physical medicine and naturopathy at the Department of Geriatrics at Dortmund University Hospital.
There is also the opportunity to undertake doctoral research in collaboration with highly experienced geriatric specialists.
Team/Contacts
Samira Janina Schmidt
Office of the Hospital Director
Klinikum Dortmund gGmbH
Department of Geriatrics
Beurhausstraße 40
44137 Dortmund
Tel.: +49 231 95319321
Email: samirajanina.schmidt@klinikumdo.de