The approach to preventive healthcare for older adults requires a perspective that looks past the calendar. In a recent radio interview on WABC, Dr. Mason Blake Pimsler, an attending physician specializing in internal medicine and geriatrics at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln, discussed the necessity of moving away from rigid age limits for medical testing. Reaching listeners across the region, Dr. Pimsler detailed why chronological age should not be the sole deciding factor when evaluating a patient’s need for continued preventive care.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) offers established recommendations that guide clinicians on when to start and stop screenings for various cancers. While these guidelines provide a helpful baseline for the general population, Dr. Pimsler noted during his WABC appearance that strict adherence to age-based cancer screening cutoffs may not suit every patient.
Drawing from his extensive clinical experience in the Bronx, Dr. Pimsler recognizes that preventive screening should never be a one-size-fits-all mandate. Two patients of the exact same age often have entirely different health trajectories, risk factors, and lifestyles. For many older adults, continuing cancer screenings well past the recommended age limits yields distinct health benefits.
Rather than halting preventive measures on a specific birthday, an effective medical strategy demands a highly personalized approach. This method must incorporate risk stratification, overall health status, functional status, family history, and prior screening results. Most importantly, patient values and personal preferences must direct these choices. Cancer screening is a shared decision-making process between patients and their healthcare providers. Through open communication, doctors and patients can weigh the benefits of early detection against possible risks to create a care plan that makes sense for the individual.
This philosophy of highly individualized care extends far beyond cancer screenings. Recently named “Doctor of the Year” and granted a dedicated day by the City of New York, Dr. Pimsler applies this same attention to detail to the broader challenges of urban healthcare. At Lincoln Hospital, part of the largest municipal healthcare system in the United States, he serves a diverse and frequently underserved population. Many of his patients manage extreme hardships, including homelessness and chronic illnesses, which can lead to a mistrust of the traditional medical establishment.
Dr. Pimsler addresses this by treating the whole person, integrating social stability with physical health. He identifies that medical treatment often fails if a patient lacks housing security or food access. By utilizing hospital resources to connect patients with social services and free legal aid, he helps individuals fight evictions and secure their living situations.
Building trust remains the core of his practice. He advocates for a culture of “radical equality” within the hospital, emphasizing that everyone, from the cleaning staff to top executives, must be treated with the exact same respect. This approach breaks down institutional intimidation. Furthermore, providing care in both English and Spanish ensures that language never acts as a barrier to accurate medical histories or treatment adherence. By designing a system around accessibility, cultural competence, and consistency, providers can better support vulnerable communities.
Sharing this perspective with a wide audience is a necessary step in public health education. Following the broadcast, Dr. Pimsler expressed his sincere thanks to the WABC Radio team for the opportunity to discuss these topics. Highlighting prevention, early detection, and access to evidence-based care helps listeners take an active role in their health management.
A special thank you was also extended to the owner and operator of WABC, John Catsimatidis, for providing a platform to get this information out to the public. His depth of interviewing on medical topics, alongside a commitment to making complex medical concepts and community health strategies accessible, helps individuals and families navigate their healthcare decisions with greater confidence.
Dr. Mason Blake Pimsler is an attending physician in Internal Medicine and Geriatrics at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in the Bronx. More information about his background and practice can be found via his NYC Health + Hospitals directory profile.