I am pleased to open this morning's forum, which will address the importance of geriatric medicine and the shortage of geriatricians our nation faces. I want to thank both Senator Reid and Senator Reed for their interest in this issue and for requesting this forum today. It is especially timely that we are holding this forum today since the month of May is Older Americans Month . This year's theme is Living Longer, Growing Stronger in America .
Physicians trained in geriatrics can prevent many health problems in the elderly.
We will hear from a woman this morning who was misdiagnosed and given the wrong medication by her primary care physician. It was not until she was seen by a geriatrician that her problem was correctly treated. We will also hear from experts in the field about the benefits of this training, especially as our population continues to age. In light of the aging population and the impending retirement of the baby boomers, the need for geriatricians will be great. We have the third-largest percentage of elderly in the nation.