Welcome Dr. Helen Chen!

We are excited to share the wonderful news that Dr. Helen Chen will start her new role as Associate Chief of Staff for Geriatrics, Palliative and Extended Care service line at San Francisco VA Health Care System on Monday 12/19!  In addition to her VA role, Dr. Chen is also a Professor in the Division of Geriatrics, and will serve as our Division’s Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) champion.  We’re very much looking forward to working with Dr. Chen. 

Helen Chen, MD has over 30 years of medical experience and over 20 years of experience in Geriatrics.  Prior to her new role at SFVAHCS, she served as the Chief Medical Officer since 2013 at Hebrew SeniorLife/ Hebrew Rehabilitation Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Hebrew Rehabilitation Center provides health care for seniors, research into aging, and education for geriatric care providers.  The Hebrew SeniorLife is a 675-bed licensed long-term chronic care hospital, providing short term and long term care, and is the largest nonprofit provider of senior health care and living communities in the New England area and the only senior care organization affiliated with Harvard Medical School.  Dr. Chen has held faculty, academic appointments at University of California, San Francisco and most recently at Harvard University. Dr. Chen is experienced in the VA having served for 2 years as the SFVA Director of the CLC and the Associate Director of Geriatrics and Extended Care service line and then serving as the Director of the service line for 4 years.  She is board certified in Geriatric Medicine and Hospice & Palliative Medicine. She was a Fellow in the UCSF Teaching Scholars Fellowship Program, Geriatric Medicine Fellowship, and the California Healthcare Leadership Foundation. Dr. Chen has also held leadership positions as the Chief Medical Officer for the Center for the Elders’ Independence in Oakland, Director for the Northern California Geriatric Education Center, and Medical Director for the General Medicine Clinic at San Francisco General Hospital and served as an Attending at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Hebrew Rehabilitation Center in Boston.  

Please help us give a wonderful warm welcome to Dr. Chen! 

Louise & Karen