William Bogner, owner and director of the Princeton Care Center, has hired area geriatrician David Barile, MD, as medical director. Dr. Barile is board-certified in internal medicine, geriatric medicine, and hospice and palliative medicine. As medical director, he is responsible for coordinating physician services, overseeing residents’ medical care and collaborating with the healthcare team. Dr. Barile also serves as the medical director of the Acute Care of the Elderly unit at the University Medical Center of Prince-ton at Plainsboro.

Ezra Bogner, LNHA, Princeton Care Center’s administrator, said, “Dr. Barile is a true visionary in the field of geriatric care and his passionate dedication to helping people achieve their personal medical goals aligns perfectly with our mission.”

Princeton Care Center’s 65,000-square-foot, three-story building on Bunn Drive is a family-run business that offers care for 119 individuals in private and semi-private rooms.

“I’m excited to join Princeton Care Center because it offers the personal, family-oriented approach that I find so rewarding,” said Dr. Barile. “I believe that older patients deserve to have their voices heard, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to help them navigate difficult health issues. In addition to receiving exceptional care, the residents here are able to remain connected to all that the larger Princeton community offers, and this is so important.”

Dr. Barile will continue in his post as medical director of New Jersey Goals of Care, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving medical decision-making for seniors that he founded in 2009. He also holds a leadership role in bringing POLST — Practitioner Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment — to New Jersey residents. A nationwide initiative, POLST is designed to improve the quality of care people receive at the end of life. This approach is based on patients being able to effectively communicate their wishes regarding treatments they want or do not want, the documentation of these wishes as medical orders, and a promise by healthcare professionals to honor these wishes. New Jersey signed POLST into law in December 2011, and it is in the process of being introduced throughout the state to help patients and families with end-of-life planning.