Caregiver Teleconnection

Sandra Liliana Oakes, MD
Sandra Liliana Oakes, MD, is a Geriatrics and Palliative Care Physician who joined Wellmed Management Inc in January 2014. She is the lead Physician for the San Antonio Market and is co-leading with Dr. Elizabeth Glazier the development of new models of care in this organization including the Bridges and Complex Care program focusing on the care of seriously ill populations who need Palliative Care services in community and /or the house call program. The program is leading nationally different models of care in the implementation of Palliative care services in the home, skill facilities and specialty clinics with oncology, and cardiology. Dr. Oakes leads an inter-professional team of nurses, advance nurse practitioners, LVN, MA and social workers serving the underserve areas of San Antonio. She is a former Associate Professor at the UTHSCS. As a prior full time Associate Professor at the Health Science Center for 10 years she was the former Geriatrics Fellowship Director and the former Director of the Multidisciplinary Training Program in Geriatrics and Gerontology, leading the San Antonio GRECC (Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center) formal learners program, which includes a Special Advanced Fellow in Geriatrics and associated health trainees in the disciplines of pharmacy, social work, chaplaincy, psychology and occupational therapy. Her major roles are facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration and education in promoting Geriatrics education and clinical services in the ambulatory, hospital and long term care settings. Dr. Oakes is a former Geriatric Academic Career Award recipient from the Department of Health and Human Services which provided the establishment of the first ACE (Acute Care of Elderly unit) innovated model of care for older adults in South Texas. The ACE is currently at Christus Santa Rosa Medical Center. Her interests are well based in geriatric education, and include multicultural aspects of geriatric care, dementia in the Latino community, medical directorship, program development in Quality improvement and innovative teaching for inter-professional learners. Dr. Oakes has extensive training in quality improvement and she has lead several projects in different clinical settings. She also teaches Quality improvement to teams, medical students, nurses and Geriatric Fellows. Dr. Oakes also is an alumnus of the Harvard Macy institute. Dr. Oakes is Board Certified in Geriatrics and Palliative Care. Dr. Oakes has extensive experience in Leadership in Long term care as a medical director for 10 years.