Natalia Festa, MD, MHS
Titles
- Assistant Professor in Medicine (Geriatrics)
Education & Training
- Postdoctoral FellowYale School of Medicine (2024)
- MHSYale University, National Clinician Scholars Program (2023)
- Clinical FellowYale New Haven Hospital (2021)
- Intern and ResidentMassachusetts General Hospital (2020)
- Chief ResidentNewton Wellesley Hospital (Community Training Site for Massachusetts General Hospital) (2017)
- MBAStanford University (2017)
- MDStanford University (2017)
- ABHarvard College (2010)
Additional Information
Board Certifications
- AB of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine (2020)
Publications
- Festa N, Throgmorton K, Heaphy N, Canavan M, Gill T. Association of Nursing Home Exposure to Hurricane-Related Inundation With Emergency Preparedness. JAMA Network Open 2023, 6: e2249937. PMID: 36607635, PMCID: PMC9856665, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.49937.
- Festa N, Heaphy N, Throgmorton K, Canavan M, Gill T. Evaluating California nursing homes' emergency preparedness for wildfire exposure. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2022, 71: 895-902. PMID: 36541045, PMCID: PMC10023274, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18142.
- Festa N, Ouellet G. Data, Measures and Measurements: Universal outcome measurement – considerations and measurement approaches. In: Berry S, Steinman M, eds. Core Curriculum on Multiple Chronic Conditions Research: Data, Measures and Measurements Module. New York, NY: American Geriatrics Society. https://mccresearch.agscocare.org/
- Festa N, Shi SM, Kim DH. Accuracy of diagnosis and health service codes in identifying frailty in Medicare data. BMC Geriatrics 2020, 20: 329. PMID: 32894057, PMCID: PMC7487915, DOI: 10.1186/s12877-020-01739-w.
- Moura LMVR, Festa N, Price M, Volya M, Benson NM, Zafar S, Weiss M, Blacker D, Normand S, Newhouse JP, Hsu J. Identifying Medicare beneficiaries with dementia. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2021, 69: 2240-2251. PMID: 33901296, PMCID: PMC8373730, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.17183.
- Festa N, Throgmorton K, Davis-Plourde K, Dosa D, Chen K, Zang E, Kelly J, Gill T. Assessment of Regional Nursing Home Preparedness for and Regulatory Responsiveness to Wildfire Risk in the Western US. JAMA Network Open 2023, 6: e2320207. PMID: 37358851, PMCID: PMC10293909, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.20207.
- Moura LMVR, Zafar S, Benson NM, Festa N, Price M, Donahue MA, Normand SL, Newhouse JP, Blacker D, Hsu J. Identifying Medicare Beneficiaries With Delirium. Medical Care 2022, 60: 852-859. PMID: 36043702, PMCID: PMC9588515, DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001767.
- Shi S, Festa N, Afilalo J, Popma JJ, Khabbaz KR, Laham RJ, Guibone K, Kim DH. Comparative utility of frailty to a general prognostic score in identifying patients at risk for poor outcomes after aortic valve replacement. BMC Geriatrics 2020, 20: 38. PMID: 32013890, PMCID: PMC6998298, DOI: 10.1186/s12877-020-1440-4.
- Festa N, Katz‐Christy N, Weiss M, Lisk R, Normand S, Grabowski D, Newhouse J, Hsu J. Nursing home infection control strategies during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2023, 71: 2593-2600. PMID: 37218116, PMCID: PMC10702332, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18402.
- Festa N, Moura L, Blacker D, Newhouse J, Hsu J. Promise and peril of claims-based dementia ascertainment in causal inference. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine 2023, 28: 222-225. PMID: 37130742, PMCID: PMC10486140, DOI: 10.1136/bmjebm-2022-112134.
- Festa N, Wasfy J, Moura L. Promising Administrative Measures of Heart Failure and Future Directions. Circulation Cardiovascular Quality And Outcomes 2023, 16: e009833. PMID: 36688300, PMCID: PMC9975022, DOI: 10.1161/circoutcomes.122.009833.
- Festa N, Hsu J, Hammitt J, Gill T. Reappraising the public health benefits conferred by environmental policy: Considerations for an aging society. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2022, 71: 1291-1299. PMID: 36585900, PMCID: PMC10089964, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18219.
- Festa N, Price M, Weiss M, Moura LMVR, Benson NM, Zafar S, Blacker D, Normand ST, Newhouse JP, Hsu J. Evaluating The Accuracy Of Medicare Risk Adjustment For Alzheimer’s Disease And Related Dementias. Health Affairs 2022, 41: 1324-1332. PMID: 36067434, PMCID: PMC9973227, DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2022.00185.
- Festa N, Price M, Moura L, Blacker D, Normand S, Newhouse J, Hsu J. Evaluation of Claims-Based Ascertainment of Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias Across Health Care Settings. JAMA Health Forum 2022, 3: e220653. PMID: 35977320, PMCID: PMC9034399, DOI: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.0653.
- Festa N, Alexovitz K, Davis‐Plourde K, Marottoli R, Cohen A, Dosa D, Fulmer T, Gill T. Comparing Disaster‐Related Surge Staffing Practices Across Rural and Non‐Rural Nursing Homes. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2025 PMID: 40938301, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.70098.
- Festa N, Alexovitz K, Throgmorton K, Davis-Plourde K, Dosa D, Gill T. Evaluating the Applicability of Federal Regulatory Metrics for Nursing Home Fire Safety and Emergency Preparedness. Journal Of The American Medical Directors Association 2025, 26: 105828. PMID: 40882948, DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2025.105828.
- Byun G, Kim S, Festa N, Choi Y, Lee W, Lee J, Gill T, Bell M. Effects of ambient temperature on hospital admissions and mortality among older adults with and without dementia in South Korea. International Journal Of Epidemiology 2025, 54: dyaf142. PMID: 40795076, PMCID: PMC12342165, DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyaf142.
- Cohen I, Taylor R, Xue H, Faustino I, Festa N, Brandt C, Gao E, Han L, Khasnavis S, Lai J, Mecca A, Sapre A, Young J, Zanchelli M, Hwang U. Detection of emergency department patients at risk of dementia through artificial intelligence. Alzheimer's & Dementia 2025, 21: e70334. PMID: 40457744, PMCID: PMC12130574, DOI: 10.1002/alz.70334.
- Throgmorton K, Festa N, Doering M, Carpenter C, Gill T. Enhancing the quality and reproducibility of research: How to work effectively with medical and data librarians. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2024, 72: 965-970. PMID: 38217346, PMCID: PMC10947861, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18741.
- Haverfield M, Garcia A, Giannitrapani K, Walling A, Rigdon J, Bekelman D, Lo N, Lehmann L, Jacobs J, Festa N, Lorenz K. Goals of Care Documentation: Insights from A Pilot Implementation Study. Journal Of Pain And Symptom Management 2021, 63: 485-494. PMID: 34952172, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2021.12.023.
- Gill TM, Zang EX, Murphy TE, Leo-Summers L, Gahbauer EA, Festa N, Falvey JR, Han L. Association Between Neighborhood Disadvantage and Functional Well-being in Community-Living Older Persons. JAMA Internal Medicine 2021, 181: 1297-1304. PMID: 34424276, PMCID: PMC8383163, DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.4260.
- Giannitrapani KF, Walling AM, Garcia A, Foglia M, Lowery JS, Lo N, Bekelman D, Brown-Johnson C, Haverfield M, Festa N, Shreve ST, Gale RC, Lehmann LS, Lorenz KA. Pilot of the Life-Sustaining Treatment Decisions Initiative Among Veterans With Serious Illness. American Journal Of Hospice And Palliative Medicine® 2020, 38: 68-76. PMID: 32383388, DOI: 10.1177/1049909120923595.
- Festa N, Park KT, Schwenk H. Anchoring Bias as a Limiting Factor in High-Value Care: A Case of Fever of Unknown Origin in a Hospitalized Child. Hospital Pediatrics 2016, 6: 699-701. PMID: 27789539, DOI: 10.1542/hpeds.2016-0027.
Titles
- Assistant Professor in Medicine (Geriatrics)
Education & Training
- Postdoctoral FellowYale School of Medicine (2024)
- MHSYale University, National Clinician Scholars Program (2023)
- Clinical FellowYale New Haven Hospital (2021)
- Intern and ResidentMassachusetts General Hospital (2020)
- Chief ResidentNewton Wellesley Hospital (Community Training Site for Massachusetts General Hospital) (2017)
- MBAStanford University (2017)
- MDStanford University (2017)
- ABHarvard College (2010)
Additional Information
Board Certifications
- AB of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine (2020)
Publications
- Festa N, Throgmorton K, Heaphy N, Canavan M, Gill T. Association of Nursing Home Exposure to Hurricane-Related Inundation With Emergency Preparedness. JAMA Network Open 2023, 6: e2249937. PMID: 36607635, PMCID: PMC9856665, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.49937.
- Festa N, Heaphy N, Throgmorton K, Canavan M, Gill T. Evaluating California nursing homes' emergency preparedness for wildfire exposure. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2022, 71: 895-902. PMID: 36541045, PMCID: PMC10023274, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18142.
- Festa N, Ouellet G. Data, Measures and Measurements: Universal outcome measurement – considerations and measurement approaches. In: Berry S, Steinman M, eds. Core Curriculum on Multiple Chronic Conditions Research: Data, Measures and Measurements Module. New York, NY: American Geriatrics Society. https://mccresearch.agscocare.org/
- Festa N, Shi SM, Kim DH. Accuracy of diagnosis and health service codes in identifying frailty in Medicare data. BMC Geriatrics 2020, 20: 329. PMID: 32894057, PMCID: PMC7487915, DOI: 10.1186/s12877-020-01739-w.
- Moura LMVR, Festa N, Price M, Volya M, Benson NM, Zafar S, Weiss M, Blacker D, Normand S, Newhouse JP, Hsu J. Identifying Medicare beneficiaries with dementia. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2021, 69: 2240-2251. PMID: 33901296, PMCID: PMC8373730, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.17183.
- Festa N, Throgmorton K, Davis-Plourde K, Dosa D, Chen K, Zang E, Kelly J, Gill T. Assessment of Regional Nursing Home Preparedness for and Regulatory Responsiveness to Wildfire Risk in the Western US. JAMA Network Open 2023, 6: e2320207. PMID: 37358851, PMCID: PMC10293909, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.20207.
- Moura LMVR, Zafar S, Benson NM, Festa N, Price M, Donahue MA, Normand SL, Newhouse JP, Blacker D, Hsu J. Identifying Medicare Beneficiaries With Delirium. Medical Care 2022, 60: 852-859. PMID: 36043702, PMCID: PMC9588515, DOI: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001767.
- Shi S, Festa N, Afilalo J, Popma JJ, Khabbaz KR, Laham RJ, Guibone K, Kim DH. Comparative utility of frailty to a general prognostic score in identifying patients at risk for poor outcomes after aortic valve replacement. BMC Geriatrics 2020, 20: 38. PMID: 32013890, PMCID: PMC6998298, DOI: 10.1186/s12877-020-1440-4.
- Festa N, Katz‐Christy N, Weiss M, Lisk R, Normand S, Grabowski D, Newhouse J, Hsu J. Nursing home infection control strategies during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2023, 71: 2593-2600. PMID: 37218116, PMCID: PMC10702332, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18402.
- Festa N, Moura L, Blacker D, Newhouse J, Hsu J. Promise and peril of claims-based dementia ascertainment in causal inference. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine 2023, 28: 222-225. PMID: 37130742, PMCID: PMC10486140, DOI: 10.1136/bmjebm-2022-112134.
- Festa N, Wasfy J, Moura L. Promising Administrative Measures of Heart Failure and Future Directions. Circulation Cardiovascular Quality And Outcomes 2023, 16: e009833. PMID: 36688300, PMCID: PMC9975022, DOI: 10.1161/circoutcomes.122.009833.
- Festa N, Hsu J, Hammitt J, Gill T. Reappraising the public health benefits conferred by environmental policy: Considerations for an aging society. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2022, 71: 1291-1299. PMID: 36585900, PMCID: PMC10089964, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18219.
- Festa N, Price M, Weiss M, Moura LMVR, Benson NM, Zafar S, Blacker D, Normand ST, Newhouse JP, Hsu J. Evaluating The Accuracy Of Medicare Risk Adjustment For Alzheimer’s Disease And Related Dementias. Health Affairs 2022, 41: 1324-1332. PMID: 36067434, PMCID: PMC9973227, DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2022.00185.
- Festa N, Price M, Moura L, Blacker D, Normand S, Newhouse J, Hsu J. Evaluation of Claims-Based Ascertainment of Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias Across Health Care Settings. JAMA Health Forum 2022, 3: e220653. PMID: 35977320, PMCID: PMC9034399, DOI: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.0653.
- Festa N, Alexovitz K, Davis‐Plourde K, Marottoli R, Cohen A, Dosa D, Fulmer T, Gill T. Comparing Disaster‐Related Surge Staffing Practices Across Rural and Non‐Rural Nursing Homes. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2025 PMID: 40938301, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.70098.
- Festa N, Alexovitz K, Throgmorton K, Davis-Plourde K, Dosa D, Gill T. Evaluating the Applicability of Federal Regulatory Metrics for Nursing Home Fire Safety and Emergency Preparedness. Journal Of The American Medical Directors Association 2025, 26: 105828. PMID: 40882948, DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2025.105828.
- Byun G, Kim S, Festa N, Choi Y, Lee W, Lee J, Gill T, Bell M. Effects of ambient temperature on hospital admissions and mortality among older adults with and without dementia in South Korea. International Journal Of Epidemiology 2025, 54: dyaf142. PMID: 40795076, PMCID: PMC12342165, DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyaf142.
- Cohen I, Taylor R, Xue H, Faustino I, Festa N, Brandt C, Gao E, Han L, Khasnavis S, Lai J, Mecca A, Sapre A, Young J, Zanchelli M, Hwang U. Detection of emergency department patients at risk of dementia through artificial intelligence. Alzheimer's & Dementia 2025, 21: e70334. PMID: 40457744, PMCID: PMC12130574, DOI: 10.1002/alz.70334.
- Throgmorton K, Festa N, Doering M, Carpenter C, Gill T. Enhancing the quality and reproducibility of research: How to work effectively with medical and data librarians. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2024, 72: 965-970. PMID: 38217346, PMCID: PMC10947861, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18741.
- Haverfield M, Garcia A, Giannitrapani K, Walling A, Rigdon J, Bekelman D, Lo N, Lehmann L, Jacobs J, Festa N, Lorenz K. Goals of Care Documentation: Insights from A Pilot Implementation Study. Journal Of Pain And Symptom Management 2021, 63: 485-494. PMID: 34952172, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2021.12.023.
- Gill TM, Zang EX, Murphy TE, Leo-Summers L, Gahbauer EA, Festa N, Falvey JR, Han L. Association Between Neighborhood Disadvantage and Functional Well-being in Community-Living Older Persons. JAMA Internal Medicine 2021, 181: 1297-1304. PMID: 34424276, PMCID: PMC8383163, DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.4260.
- Giannitrapani KF, Walling AM, Garcia A, Foglia M, Lowery JS, Lo N, Bekelman D, Brown-Johnson C, Haverfield M, Festa N, Shreve ST, Gale RC, Lehmann LS, Lorenz KA. Pilot of the Life-Sustaining Treatment Decisions Initiative Among Veterans With Serious Illness. American Journal Of Hospice And Palliative Medicine® 2020, 38: 68-76. PMID: 32383388, DOI: 10.1177/1049909120923595.
- Festa N, Park KT, Schwenk H. Anchoring Bias as a Limiting Factor in High-Value Care: A Case of Fever of Unknown Origin in a Hospitalized Child. Hospital Pediatrics 2016, 6: 699-701. PMID: 27789539, DOI: 10.1542/hpeds.2016-0027.