Karen Hirschman, PhD, MSW, is a Research Professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and a member of the NewCourtland Center for Transitions and Health. A nationally and internationally recognized scholar, Hirschman’s research focuses on using evidence-based interventions to improve care for older adults and their family caregivers.
She currently leads a team testing a virtual health coaching intervention to support family members of older adults who have recently been hospitalized. Hirschman is also a member of the Transitional Care Model team led by Mary Naylor, PhD. This rigorously tested, advanced practice registered nurse-led model of care targets high-risk, hospitalized older adults and focuses on transitional care to improve outcomes for both older adults and their caregivers. The team studies both the replication and adaptation of the model in health care settings, as well as the implementation of its components.
Hirschman is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America. She earned her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania.
