Research Summary

Dr. Emily Finlayson is a colorectal surgeon with expertise in the treatment of colon and rectal cancer, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. She is a specialist in minimally invasive surgical techniques.

Finlayson's research examines population-based surgical outcomes, focusing particularly on functional outcomes in the frail elderly.

Finlayson earned her medical degree at Harvard Medical School. She trained in general surgery at UCSF and in colon and rectal surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She also earned a master of science degree at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, and she completed a research fellowship with the White River Junction Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Vermont.

Finlayson served on the surgery department faculty at the University of Michigan and on the Michigan Surgical Collaborative for Outcomes Research and Evaluation. She returned to UCSF in 2009.

Research Funding

  • September 1, 2017 - May 31, 2020 - Developing Tools to Support the Appropriate Use of Surgery in Frail Older Adults , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R21AG054208
  • April 15, 2014 - March 31, 2020 - Optimizing treatment for nursing home residents with acute cholecystitis , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01AG044425
  • September 1, 2006 - August 31, 2012 - Functional Outcomes After Major Surgery in Nursing Home Residents , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: K08AG028965

Education

Yale University, B.A., 1985-1989, Classical Civilizations
Stanford University, 1991-1992, Post-bacc. Pre-med
Harvard Medical School, M.D., 1993-1997, Medicine 
Dartmouth Medical School, M.S., 2000-2002, Health Services Research

Honors & Awards

  • 2006-2011
    Beeson Scholar
  • 2015
    Excellence in Teaching Award, Academy of Medical Educators

Selected Publications

  1. Ogomori K, Broering J, Rogine C, Kin C, Chang GJ, Finlayson E. Evaluating a digital prehabilitation tool in patients with colorectal surgery: protocol for a multisite randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open. 2025 Feb 18; 15(2):e088001.  View on PubMed
  2. Shah SK, Xiang L, Adler RR, Clark CJ, Hsu J, Mitchell SL, Finlayson E, Kim DH, Lin KJ, Weissman JS. Patients with dementia or frailty undergoing major limb amputation have poor outcomes. J Vasc Surg. 2025 Jan; 81(1):191-199.e22.  View on PubMed
  3. Chang GJ, Gunn HJ, Barber AK, Lowenstein LM, Dohan D, Broering J, Dockter T, Tan AD, Dueck A, Chow S, Neuman H, Finlayson E, OPTI-Surg Investigators. Improving Surgical Care and Outcomes in Older Cancer Patients Through Implementation of a Presurgical Toolkit (OPTI-Surg)-Final Results of a Phase III Cluster Randomized Trial (Alliance A231601CD). Ann Surg. 2024 Oct 01; 280(4):623-632.  View on PubMed
  4. Miller MJ, Cenzer I, Covinsky KE, Finlayson E, Raue PJ, Tang VL. Associations of Resilience, Perceived Control of Health, and Depression with Geriatric Outcomes after Surgery. Ann Surg. 2024 Jul 26.  View on PubMed
  5. Bongiovanni T, Gan S, Finlayson E, Ross JS, Harrison JD, Boscardin J, Steinman MA. Use of Muscle Relaxants After Surgery in Traditional Medicare Part D Enrollees. Drugs Aging. 2024 Jul; 41(7):615-622.  View on PubMed
  6. Colley A, Dillon E, Yank V, Keny C, Finlayson E, Dutt M, Tang V. Clinician Perspectives on How Family Support and Psychological Distress Influence Older Adults' Recovery After Major Surgery. J Gen Intern Med. 2024 Oct; 39(13):2615-2617.  View on PubMed
  7. Bongiovanni T, Gan S, Finlayson E, Ross JS, Harrison JD, Boscardin WJ, Steinman MA. Association of Race and Ethnicity With Postoperative Gabapentinoid and Opioid Prescribing Trends for Older Adults. J Surg Res. 2024 Jun; 298:47-52.  View on PubMed
  8. Colley A, Broering J, Lee K, Lin JA, Pierce L, Finlayson E, Sudore RL, Wick EC. "It Gives Me Peace of Mind So I Can Focus on Healing": Views on Advance Care Planning for Older Surgical Patients. J Palliat Med. 2024 May; 27(5):667-674.  View on PubMed
  9. Gutierrez RD, Smith EJT, Matthay ZA, Gasper WJ, Hiramoto JS, Conte MS, Finlayson E, Walter LC, Iannuzzi JC. Risk factors and associated outcomes of postoperative delirium after open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. J Vasc Surg. 2024 Apr; 79(4):793-800.  View on PubMed
  10. Tang VL, Cenzer I, Keny C, John Boscardin W, Covinsky K, Finlayson E, Kotwal A. Social Strain is associated with Functional Decline in Older Adults after Surgery. J Gen Intern Med. 2024 Feb; 39(2):351-353.  View on PubMed
  11. Hamouche F, Hakam N, Unno R, Ahn J, Yang H, Bayne D, Stoller ML, Smith S, Finlayson E, Smith J, Chi T. Reimagining Ambulatory Care in Urology: Conversion of the Urology Clinic into a Procedure Center Improves Patient's Experience. Telemed J E Health. 2024 Mar; 30(3):748-753.  View on PubMed
  12. Lin JA, Colley A, Pierce L, Finlayson E, Sudore RL, Wick EC. Clinician Review of Advanced Care Planning for Older Surgical Patients Requiring Intensive Care. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. 2024 02; 50(2):154-156.  View on PubMed
  13. Bongiovanni T, Gan S, Finlayson E, Ross JS, Harrison JD, Boscardin WJ, Steinman MA. Trends in the Use of Gabapentinoids and Opioids in the Postoperative Period Among Older Adults. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 06 01; 6(6):e2318626.  View on PubMed
  14. Colley A, Lin J, Pierce L, Johnson C, Bongiovanni T, Finlayson E, Sudore R, Wick EC. Experiences with targeting inpatient advance care planning for emergency general surgery patients: A resident-led quality improvement project. Surgery. 2023 10; 174(4):844-850.  View on PubMed
  15. Ma M, Peters XD, Zhang LM, Hornor M, Christensen K, Coleman J, Finlayson E, Flood KL, Katlic M, Lagoo-Deenadayalan S, Robinson TN, Rosenthal RA, Tang VL, Ko CY, Russell MM. Multisite Implementation of an American College of Surgeons Geriatric Surgery Quality Improvement Initiative. J Am Coll Surg. 2023 08 01; 237(2):171-181.  View on PubMed
  16. Smith EJT, Gasper WJ, Schneider PA, Finlayson E, Walter LC, Covinsky KE, Conte MS, Iannuzzi JC. Cognitive Impairment is Common in a Veterans Affairs Population with Peripheral Arterial Disease. Ann Vasc Surg. 2023 Apr; 91:210-217.  View on PubMed
  17. Colley A, Lin JA, Pierce L, Finlayson E, Sudore RL, Wick E. Missed Opportunities and Health Disparities for Advance Care Planning Before Elective Surgery in Older Adults. JAMA Surg. 2022 10 01; 157(10):e223687.  View on PubMed
  18. Colley A, Finlayson E, Zhao S, Boscardin J, Suskind A. High risk of complications after a "low risk" procedure: A national study of nursing home residents and older adults undergoing haemorrhoid surgery. Colorectal Dis. 2023 02; 25(2):298-304.  View on PubMed
  19. Bongiovanni T, Gan S, Finlayson E, Ross J, Harrison JD, Boscardin J, Steinman MA. Prolonged use of newly prescribed gabapentin after surgery. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2022 12; 70(12):3560-3569.  View on PubMed
  20. Colley A, Finlayson E, Sosa JA, Wick E. "I Wish Someone had Asked Me Earlier"-Perspectives on Advance Care Planning in Surgery. Ann Surg. 2022 12 01; 276(6):e649-e651.  View on PubMed

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