Bonner Is First Non-Physician Practitioner Elected to Society Board

Columbia, MD--Alice Bonner, PhD, APRN-GNP, Secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs, is the first nurse practitioner (NP) to serve on the Society Board of Directors since the organization opened up its voting membership to advance practice professionals four years ago. Dr. Bonner, who was recently elected as Board Representative—House of Delegates, has an extensive track record with the Society—as a speaker, educator, author in JAMDA and Caring, Chapter member and state delegate, and volunteer.

Her election, she says, “represents the acknowledgement by the Society that interprofessional teams are critically important.” She adds, “Geriatrics and the care of older adults has always been a team sport, even before accountable care organizations and other models. The Society is demonstrating ongoing leadership regarding the importance of interprofessional teams by having advanced practitioners on the board and recognizing the values that different disciplines bring to the organization.”

Dr. Bonner started coming to Society conferences some 20 years ago. She says, “What kept me coming back was the fellowship, camaraderie, and inclusivity. Even then, I found that these physicians were welcoming and accepting of advance practitioners; and they have become ever more so over the years.” She also was impressed by the quality of the education at the conferences, as well as tools such as clinical practice guidelines. She says of the Society, “This is the one place where people really get post-acute and long-term care.”

Prior to her current role, Dr. Bonner served as Deputy Associate Regional Administrator for the Northeast Region and Director of the Division of Nursing Homes in Baltimore, Maryland for the Survey and Certification Group at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). She has been instrumental working with the Society to build a rapport between the organization and government agencies. She says, “Experts in the Society have knowledge and experience in the field, and this is valuable to CMS as they evaluate and re-evaluate nursing home policy for the country. There is a benefit to our members having an ongoing relationship with CMS so that they can help promote sound policies that improve nursing home care and support the great work our members do.”

Outside of work, Dr. Bonner is an avid runner and volunteers with a group called “Back on My Feet,” which helps homeless men and women rebuild their lives through running. “Through the fellowship of being on a team, they get peer support and build relationships that are helpful as they work to get back on their feet.” Dr. Bonner says, “Many of our team members who have experienced homelessness run marathons and other races with us. It’s very uplifting.”

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AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine is the only medical specialty society representing the community of over 50,000 medical directors, physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other practitioners working in the various post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) settings. Dedicated to defining and improving quality, we advance our mission through timely professional development, evidence-based clinical guidance, and tireless advocacy on behalf of members, patients, families, and staff. Visit www.paltc.org for more information.