Dr. Lidia A Vognar M.D.

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Bringing New Voices and Views to Advocacy and Improved Care for Older Adults

Dr. Lidia Vognar, MD, cMD, MHS, MHA, a dual board certified geriatrician with an impressive array of credentials, is making significant contributions to the field of geriatric medicine in Rhode Island. Serving as a geriatrician at the Providence VA Medical Center, where she is also Medical Director of Home-Based Primary Care, Program Director of the Roger Williams Geriatric Medicine Fellowship program, and Medical Director of “Care at Home” , a home based acute care program in Rhode Island, her expertise and passion for elder care are evident in her various roles.

Originally from Serbia, Dr. Vognar brings a unique perspective to her work, having experienced firsthand the challenges faced by vulnerable populations in a rural and underdeveloped healthcare system. After earning her Medical Degree from the University of Nis Faculty of Medicine in 2005, she made the move to the United States for medical training, completing her residency in internal medicine at Roger Williams Medical Center, as well as an advanced geriatric fellowship and Master’s Degree in Health Sciences at Duke University Hospital and the Durham VAMC.

During her years of training, Dr. Vognar learned that her passion resides with the development and promotion of geriatric education as a cornerstone for the overall advancement of the field. At Duke, she became involved in a number of efforts focused on elder abuse, especially of the veteran population. Through this work, she was able to better appreciate the complexities of current healthcare systems and how detrimental they can be to the older adult. This inspired her work in transitions of care, publishing on transitions of care in Rhode Island and working with colleagues on AGS’s educational series, AGS CoCare: Ortho, transitions of care piece. 

Dr. Vognar’s dedication to elder advocacy is further reflected in her involvement in various professional societies, including the American Geriatrics Society, the Society For Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, and the National Center on Elder Abuse. She has presented her work on elder abuse, education and curriculum development, as well as age friendly health systems and alternative geriatric care models at both local and national levels, showcasing her expertise and commitment to the field.

With an academic appointment as an Associate Professor of Geriatric Medicine at Brown University, Dr. Vognar is committed to advancing geriatric education as a means to enhance the overall quality of care for older adults. She teaches learners of all levels, including medical students, internal medicine residents, geriatric fellows and geriatric psychiatry fellows.

Lastly, Dr. Vognar holds a seat on the multidisciplinary elder abuse task force in Rhode Island, collaborating closely with key stakeholders to address issues of elder abuse and provide valuable expertise as a medical consultant and educator.

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