Sei Lee, MD

Professor in Residence-HCOMP
Medicine
+1 415 443-2350 ext. 24543

Sei Lee is an Professor in the Division of Geriatrics and Senior Scholar for the San Francisco VA Quality Scholars fellowship. His research focuses on improving the targeting of preventive interventions in older adults to maximize benefits and minimize harms. Dr. Lee attended medical school at the University of Illinois-Rockford, then moved to UCSF where he completed Primary Care Internal Medicine residency and a Geriatric Medicine fellowship. He also completed the VA Quality Scholars fellowship, receiving advanced training in methodologies related to healthcare quality from the San Francisco VA and obtained a Master’s degree in clinical research from UCSF.

Dr. Lee joined the Division of Geriatrics faculty in 2007. Dr. Lee’s research examines how a patient’s health status can help individualize preventive and treatment decisions, with a special focus on diabetes care for frail nursing home residents. Dr. Lee is an expert in clinical prediction and has published research on predicting mortality, functional decline, dementia and pneumonia. In his clinical work, Dr. Lee supervises and trains residents, fellows and medical students while providing care for internal medicine and palliative care patients at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

When not at work, he's usually trying to entertain his 3 kids. He enjoys commuting on his scooter, hiking and mountain biking.

Publications: 

Development and External Validation of Models to Predict Need for Nursing Home Level of Care in Community-Dwelling Older Adults With Dementia.

JAMA internal medicine

Deardorff WJ, Jeon SY, Barnes DE, Boscardin WJ, Langa KM, Covinsky KE, Mitchell SL, Lee SJ, Smith AK

Around the EQUATOR with Clin-STAR: Prediction modeling opportunities and challenges in aging research.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Deardorff WJ, Diaz-Ramirez LG, Boscardin WJ, Smith AK, Lee SJ

Frequency of Screening for Colorectal Cancer by Predicted Life Expectancy Among Adults 76-85 Years.

JAMA

Deardorff WJ, Lu K, Jing B, Jeon SY, Boscardin WJ, Fung KZ, Lee SJ

Addressing the unique challenges in studies of long-term medication use and dementia risk.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Lee AK, Lee SJ, Dublin S

Development and External Validation of a Mortality Prediction Model for Community-Dwelling Older Adults With Dementia.

JAMA internal medicine

Deardorff WJ, Barnes DE, Jeon SY, Boscardin WJ, Langa KM, Covinsky KE, Mitchell SL, Whitlock EL, Smith AK, Lee SJ

Development and validation of novel multimorbidity indices for older adults.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Steinman MA, Jing B, Shah SJ, Rizzo A, Lee SJ, Covinsky KE, Ritchie CS, Boscardin WJ

Anesthesia Care for Cataract Surgery in Medicare Beneficiaries.

JAMA internal medicine

Perumal D, Dudley RA, Gan S, Boscardin WJ, Gill A, Gelb AW, Lee SJ, Chen CL

Fingerstick glucose monitoring by cognitive impairment status in Veterans Affairs nursing home residents with diabetes.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Nguyen B, Deardorff WJ, Shi Y, Jing B, Lee AK, Lee SJ

A comprehensive prognostic tool for older adults: Predicting death, ADL disability, and walking disability simultaneously.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Lee AK, Diaz-Ramirez LG, Boscardin WJ, Smith AK, Lee SJ

Sliding scale insulin use in a national cohort study of nursing home residents with type 2 diabetes.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Lam K, Gan S, Nguyen B, Jing B, Lee SJ

Glycemic treatment deintensification practices in nursing home residents with type 2 diabetes.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Lederle LI, Steinman MA, Jing B, Nguyen B, Lee SJ

Mild cognitive impairment as a clinical and research outcome: Ready for prime time?

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Deardorff WJ, Lee SJ

Predicting Life Expectancy to Target Cancer Screening Using Electronic Health Record Clinical Data.

Journal of general internal medicine

Lee AK, Jing B, Jeon SY, Boscardin WJ, Lee SJ

A Novel Metric for Developing Easy-to-Use and Accurate Clinical Prediction Models: The Time-cost Information Criterion.

Medical care

Lee SJ, Smith AK, Ramirez-Diaz LG, Covinsky KE, Gan S, Chen CL, Boscardin WJ

Preoperative medical testing and falls in Medicare beneficiaries awaiting cataract surgery.

Ophthalmology

Chen CL, McLeod SD, Lietman TM, Shen H, Boscardin WJ, Peggy Chang HY, Whooley MA, Gelb AW, Lee SJ, Dudley RA

Integration of an Objective Cognitive Assessment Into a Prognostic Index for 5-Year Mortality Prediction.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Kotwal AA, Lee SJ, Dale W, Boscardin WJ, Waite LJ, Smith AK

Patients' Use of Social Media for Diabetes Self-Care: Systematic Review.

Journal of medical Internet research

Elnaggar A, Ta Park V, Lee SJ, Bender M, Siegmund LA, Park LG

Glycemic Over- and Undertreatment in VA Nursing Home Residents with Type 2 Diabetes: a Retrospective Cohort Study.

Journal of general internal medicine

Lederle L, Jing B, Rodriguez A, Hunt LJ, Lee SJ

Development and Validation of eRADAR: A Tool Using EHR Data to Detect Unrecognized Dementia.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Barnes DE, Zhou J, Walker RL, Larson EB, Lee SJ, Boscardin WJ, Marcum ZA, Dublin S

Prognostic value of a rapid sarcopenia measure in acutely ill older adults.

Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Aliberti MJR, Szlejf C, Covinsky KE, Lee SJ, Jacob-Filho W, Suemoto CK

Palliative Care Needs in Oncology, Cardiology, and Neurology Clinic Patients in the USA.

Journal of general internal medicine

Dudley N, Ritchie CS, Stijacic-Cenzer I, Lee SJ

The Quality of Family Relationships, Diabetes Self-Care, and Health Outcomes in Older Adults.

Diabetes spectrum : a publication of the American Diabetes Association

David D, Dalton J, Magny-Normilus C, Brain MM, Linster T, Lee SJ

Making Function Part of the Conversation: Clinician Perspectives on Measuring Functional Status in Primary Care.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Nicosia FM, Spar MJ, Steinman MA, Lee SJ, Brown RT

Prevalence of Multimorbidity Among Older Adults with Advanced illness Visits to U.S. Subspecialty Clinics.

Journal of pain and symptom management

Dudley N, Lee SJ, Stijacic-Cenzar I, Ritchie CS

A Cohort Study of Healthcare Utilization in Older Adults with Undiagnosed Dementia.

Journal of general internal medicine

Lee SJ, Larson EB, Dublin S, Walker R, Marcum Z, Barnes D

Palliative Care Eligibility, Symptom Burden, and Quality-of-Life Ratings in Nursing Home Residents.

JAMA internal medicine

Stephens CE, Hunt LJ, Bui N, Halifax E, Ritchie CS, Lee SJ

Individualizing Prevention for Older Adults.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Lee SJ, Kim CM

Functional Impairment and Decline in Middle Age: A Cohort Study.

Annals of internal medicine

Brown RT, Diaz-Ramirez LG, Boscardin WJ, Lee SJ, Steinman MA

Association of ß-Blockers With Functional Outcomes, Death, and Rehospitalization in Older Nursing Home Residents After Acute Myocardial Infarction.

JAMA internal medicine

Steinman MA, Zullo AR, Lee Y, Daiello LA, Boscardin WJ, Dore DD, Gan S, Fung K, Lee SJ, Komaiko KD, Mor V

Changes in Social Function as a Trigger to Screen for Cognitive Impairment.

Journal of general internal medicine

Romo RD, Lee SJ

Subjective, Objective, and Observed Long-term Survival: A Longitudinal Cohort Study.

JAMA internal medicine

Romo RD, Lee SJ, Miao Y, Boscardin WJ, Smith AK

Provider Perspectives on the Influence of Family on Nursing Home Resident Transfers to the Emergency Department: Crises at the End of Life.

Current gerontology and geriatrics research

Stephens C, Halifax E, Bui N, Lee SJ, Harrington C, Shim J, Ritchie C

Changing Patterns of Glucose-Lowering Medication Use in VA Nursing Home Residents With Diabetes, 2005 to 2011.

Journal of the American Medical Directors Association

Lee SJ, Stijacic-Cenzer I, Barnhart C, McClymont K, Steinman MA

Time to benefit for colorectal cancer screening: survival meta-analysis of flexible sigmoidoscopy trials.

BMJ (Clinical research ed.)

Tang V, Boscardin WJ, Stijacic-Cenzer I, Lee SJ

Improving Diabetes Care for Hospice Patients.

The American journal of hospice & palliative care

Lee SJ, Jacobson MA, Johnston CB

The burden of nocturia among middle-aged and older women.

Obstetrics and gynecology

Hsu A, Nakagawa S, Walter LC, Van Den Eeden SK, Brown JS, Thom DH, Lee SJ, Huang AJ

Predictors of urinary incontinence in community-dwelling frail older adults with diabetes mellitus in a cross-sectional study.

BMC geriatrics

Hsu A, Conell-Price J, Stijacic Cenzer I, Eng C, Huang AJ, Rice-Trumble K, Lee SJ

Usefulness and effect of online prognostic calculators.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

McClymont KM, Lee SJ, Schonberg MA, Widera E, Miao Y, Smith AK

So much insulin, so much hypoglycemia.

JAMA internal medicine

Lee SJ

Lag time to benefit for preventive therapies--reply.

JAMA

Lee SJ, Leipzig RM, Walter LC

A point-based tool to predict conversion from mild cognitive impairment to probable Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association

Barnes DE, Cenzer IS, Yaffe K, Ritchie CS, Lee SJ

Glycemic control and urinary incontinence in women with diabetes mellitus.

Journal of women's health (2002)

Lee SJ, Karter AJ, Thai JN, Van Den Eeden SK, Huang ES

Transitional care challenges of rehospitalized veterans: listening to patients and providers.

Population health management

Stephens C, Sackett N, Pierce R, Schopfer D, Schmajuk G, Moy N, Bachhuber M, Wallhagen MI, Lee SJ

Predicting 10-year mortality for older adults.

JAMA

Cruz M, Covinsky K, Widera EW, Stijacic-Cenzer I, Lee SJ

Patterns of multimorbidity in elderly veterans.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Steinman MA, Lee SJ, John Boscardin W, Miao Y, Fung KZ, Moore KL, Schwartz JB

Glycosylated hemoglobin and functional decline in community-dwelling nursing home-eligible elderly adults with diabetes mellitus.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Yau CK, Eng C, Cenzer IS, Boscardin WJ, Rice-Trumble K, Lee SJ

A clinically guided approach for improving performance measurement for hypertension.

Medical care

Steinman MA, Lee SJ, Peterson CA, Fung KZ, Goldstein MK

Prognostic indices for older adults: a systematic review.

JAMA

Yourman LC, Lee SJ, Schonberg MA, Widera EW, Smith AK

Predicting Alzheimer's risk: why and how?

Alzheimer's research & therapy

Barnes DE, Lee SJ

The risks and benefits of implementing glycemic control guidelines in frail older adults with diabetes mellitus.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Lee SJ, Boscardin WJ, Stijacic Cenzer I, Huang ES, Rice-Trumble K, Eng C

Volunteering, driving status, and mortality in U.S. retirees.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Lee SJ, Steinman MA, Tan EJ

Coming home: health status and homelessness risk of older pre-release prisoners.

Journal of general internal medicine

Williams BA, McGuire J, Lindsay RG, Baillargeon J, Cenzer IS, Lee SJ, Kushel M

Missed opportunities for osteoporosis treatment in patients hospitalized for hip fracture.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Jennings LA, Auerbach AD, Maselli J, Pekow PS, Lindenauer PK, Lee SJ

The Department of Veterans Affairs National Quality Scholars Fellowship Program: experience from 10 years of training quality scholars.

Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges

Splaine ME, Ogrinc G, Gilman SC, Aron DC, Estrada CA, Rosenthal GE, Lee S, Dittus RS, Batalden PB

Impact of age and comorbidity on colorectal cancer screening among older veterans.

Annals of internal medicine

Walter LC, Lindquist K, Nugent S, Schult T, Lee SJ, Casadei MA, Partin MR

Association between hospital-reported Leapfrog Safe Practices Scores and inpatient mortality.

JAMA

Kernisan LP, Lee SJ, Boscardin WJ, Landefeld CS, Dudley RA

Functional limitations, socioeconomic status, and all-cause mortality in moderate alcohol drinkers.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Lee SJ, Sudore RL, Williams BA, Lindquist K, Chen HL, Covinsky KE

Chronic conditions and mortality among the oldest old.

American journal of public health

Lee SJ, Go AS, Lindquist K, Bertenthal D, Covinsky KE

The relationship between self-rated health and mortality in older black and white Americans.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

Lee SJ, Moody-Ayers SY, Landefeld CS, Walter LC, Lindquist K, Segal MR, Covinsky KE