Clinical Professors
Melissa Bailey-Taylor
Clinical Assistant Professor
Clemson University School of Health Research
Geriatric Physician
Prisma Health-Upstate
Contact: 864-454-8120
Who is Dr. Bailey-Taylor?
Dr. Bailey-Taylor is a board certified Geriatric and Family Medicine physician and formerly a hospice medical director. She attended the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, The Ohio State University College of Public Health, and Spelman College for Biochemistry. She has been involved in research since high school at University of San Diego via her High School Magnet program, to the present. Her research experience has ranged from molecular biology in cancer research, survey research in environmental health to physical chemistry research with Yag lasers in hydration properties of water, and geriatric research in dementia and related disorders. She has been employed in Research and Development in the Pharmaceutical industry and taught university chemistry classes prior to medical training.
Presently, she is collaborating with the Prisma Health-Upstate Health Science Center affiliates on research projects. With Clemson, she is continuing research analyzing Prisma Health’s dementia course series and impact of its services on caregivers of patients with dementia. She is working with Furman University and the South Carolina Legal Services to mitigate medical-legal social determinants of health for geriatric populations. She is partnering with Dr. Nicole Davis from Clemson via translational research on existing projects and developing new projects to assist seniors. In addition, she is leading a team of researchers assisting the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee to transform the health system by changing Prisma Health corporate culture and using inclusion principles and practices. The overall goals are to improve the health outcomes of the communities that GHS-Prisma serves and diversifying the workforce. She is also a clinical faculty member at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Greenville.
For more information, see her Curriculum Vitae.
How Dr. Bailey-Taylor’s research is transforming health care
Dr. Bailey-Taylor’s research is transforming healthcare by improving health outcomes, lessening barriers to healthcare, and improving access to equitable healthcare for all communities. Her team is empowering caregivers of patient with Alzheimer’s, Dementia and Related Disorders (ADRD) to understand dementia, develop self-efficacy with respect to managing symptoms, and obtain knowledge to better navigate psychosocial challenges that they may face such as guardianship. The Memory Health Program is obtaining data on both the caregivers and the patients. The purpose of this assessment is to develop better strategies and services to for the patients and their caregivers. This body of work is unique. The team has expanded to a rural community this year and plan to develop further health campaigns to reach health disparities communities with our services. The Geriatric Medical Legal Program is the first in the state of South Carolina. They are transforming healthcare by developing best practices to identify and alleviate legal-health-harming factors for patients and communities. Dr. Bailey-Taylor’s work in the area of Cultural and Inclusion, Diversity, shares synergy with multiple areas and disciplines within healthcare. Her team is transforming health care by strategically planning, implementing, and evaluating population culture change including attitudes, perceptions, and practices. They are identifying and reducing perceived and actual barriers to healthcare. They are developing interventions that will influence the communities that we serve and improve their health outcomes. She is also collaborating in the health services research area to evaluate and improve the services lines and services in geriatrics.
Key Health Research Interest Areas
geriatrics, dementia and dementia related disorders, diversity and inclusion, health disparities, social determinants of health