Dr. Laurie Mallery Biography
Clinical Work
Dr. Laurie Herzig Mallery, MD, FRCPC, MSM, is an internist and geriatrician who has been involved in leadership, program development, system transformation, and research for over 30 years. Her career and clinical practice have focused on providing quality care to frail older adults in the final stage of life due to dementia, neurodegenerative illness, heart failure, or other progressive medical problems.
Dr. Mallery completed Medical School at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Internal Medicine training at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago, and Geriatric Medicine training at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Dr. Mallery was head of the Division of Geriatric Medicine at Dalhousie University for over 13 years and the co-founder of The PATH (Palliative and Therapeutic Harmonization) clinic, which helps patients and families make medical decisions that consider the impact of frailty. She has been recognized with several national awards, including the Meritorious Service Metal created by Her Majesty the Queen of England to recognize excellence and contributions to Canada.
Dr. Mallery developed a medical school curriculum for a Geriatric Medicine clerkship at Dalhousie University and created models to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of interdisciplinary teams. A member of the Canadian Expert Drug Advisory Committee (CEDAC) for eight years, she has extensive experience in critical appraisal and cost-effective decision-making.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Mallery co-created an app to assess health status and determine a patient’s frailty stage.
The Salami Salesman and His Daughter Falafel
Dr. Mallery is the author of The Salami Salesman and His Daughter Falafel: What An Older Man’s Death Can Teach Us About How And How Not To Care For The Frail And Dying.
The book chronicles the story of her father’s frailty and end-of-life care. It brings to life the PATH experience through personal stories that highlight the importance of her approach.
Book Excerpt:
“My phone rang at 3 a.m., which rarely bodes well. When I answered, my sister described how my father had fallen and hit his head. A man of great accomplishment, now unable to resist the momentum of a New York City crowd, was bowled over and rushed to the hospital by ambulance. My first thought was that my father would be fine, partially based on memories of his invincibility: his survival in World War II when all of his other platoon members died, his strong personal valor, and a daughter’s false belief that her father was so integrated into her life that he would always be there with unconditional love and support. After a full description of the event, I told my sister to call me back in forty-five minutes. The second call was not good and quickly quashed my previous sense of hopefulness….Thus began a more accelerated downward spiral to poor health.”