George A. Heckman

Associate Professor

Schlegel Research Chair in Geriatric Medicine

Assistant Clinical Professor of Medici​ne, McMaster University

George Heckman

Contact informa​tion

Office:  TJB 2264

Phone: 519-888-4567, ext. 41028

Email: ggheckman@uwaterloo.ca

Assistant: Nisreen Murad

Email: nisreen.murad@uwaterloo.ca

Research interests

Primary panelist, Canadian Cardiovascular Society Consensus Conference Recommendations on Heart Failure (2005-current)

Research:

  • management of heart failure in long term care and other frail seniors
  • primary care management of dementia
  • home care safety
  • vascular aging

Lead geriatrician for the Waterloo Wellington LHIN

Heart Failure management in the frail elderly, and long-term care residents, with current funding from the HSFO and prior funding from CIHR.

Teaching interests

  • Chronic disease 
  • Aging 
  • Frailty 
  • Gerontology

Education

Bachelor of Engineering Physics, Laval University

mMath Computer Science, University of Waterloo

Doctor of Medicine, University of Toronto 

Internal Medicine Residency, University of Toronto

Geriatric Medicine Residency, McMaster University

Ontario Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, with specialist certification in Internal Medicine

Geriatric Medicine Master of Science, Health Research Methodology, McMaster University 

Selected recent publications

Foebel AD, Heckman GA, Hirdes JP, Tyas SL, Tjam EY, McKelvie RS, Maxwell CJ. Clinical, Demographic and Functional Characteristics Associated with Pharmacotherapy for Heart Failure among Older Home Care Clients. Drugs and Aging. Drugs Aging. 2011 Jul 1;28(7):561-73.

McLeod J, McMurray J, Walker J, Heckman G, Stolee P. Care transitions for older patients with musculoskeletal disorders: continuity from the provider’s perspective. International Journal of Integrated Care. 2011 Apr;11:e014.

McKelvie RS, Moe GW, Cheung A, Costigan J, Ducharme A, Estrella-Holder E, Ezekowitz JA, Floras J, Giannetti N, Grzeslo A, Harkness K, Heckman GA, Howlett JG, Kouz S, Leblanc K, Mann E, O'Meara E, Rajda M, Rao V, Simon J, Swiggum E, Zieroth S, Arnold JM, Ashton T, D'Astous M, Dorian P, Haddad H, Isaac DL, Leblanc MH, Liu P, Sussex B, Ross HJ. The 2011 Canadian cardiovascular society heart failure management guidelines update: focus on sleep apnea, renal dysfunction, mechanical circulatory support, and palliative care. Can J Cardiol. 2011 May-Jun;27(3):319-38.

Heckman GA. Integrated care for the frail elderly. Healthcare Papers 2011;11:62-8.

Foebel AD, Hirdes JP, Heckman GA, Tyas SL, Tjam EY. A profile of older community-dwelling home care clients with heart failure in Ontario. Chronic Diseases in Canada. 2011 Mar;31(2):49-57.

Harkness K, Demers C, Heckman GA, McKelvie RS. Screening for Cognitive Deficits Using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Tool in Outpatients ≥65 Years of Age With Heart Failure. Am J Cardiol. 2011 Feb 9. [Epub ahead of print]

Tjam EY, Heckman GA, Smith S, Arai B, Hirdes J, Poss J, McKelvie RS. Predicting heart failure mortality in frail seniors: Comparing the NYHA functional classification with the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI)2.0. Int J Cardiol. 2011 Feb 1. [Epub ahead of print] 

Feature story on George Heckman's research