8:00–11:45 a.m.

Preconference Activity—Facility Tours
Space is limited. Preregistration is required. OptumHealth clients and invited guests are given first option. More information.
NUATC—Northwestern University Affiliated Transplant Centers (Depart at 8 a.m.)
OR
University of Chicago Medicine (Bus departs at 8 a.m. New time!)
Support for these tours is provided by NUATC-Northwestern Affiliated Transplant Centers and University of Chicago Medicine.

8:00 a.m.
–5:00 p.m.

Conference and Exhibitor Registration—5th Floor Registration

12:00 p.m.

Lunch—Exhibit Hall, Chicago Ballroom, 5th Floor
Stop by for lunch and preview the exhibits before the official start of this year’s conference!

1:00 p.m.

Welcome and Opening Remarks—Grand Ballroom, 7th Floor

1:30 p.m.

Keynote Address: Wellness and the Power of Self-Control, Michael L. Dansinger, MD, MS, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts Unversity School of Medicine, Nutritional Advisor for NBC's "The Biggest Loser"
The promotion of wellness has taken center stage in our current health care debate. The paradigm is changing from treatment to prevention, especially when addressing the issue of health care cost containment. With the epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes, our eyes have been opened to long-term health consequences that research shows could be, in many circumstances, preventable. What strategies will empower individuals to be in control of their own health destiny? Are health care providers projecting a positive influence as role models for healthy lifestyle changes? Learn how winning the battle against obesity and diabetes impacts long term health and wellness.

2:30 p.m.

Break

2:50 p.m.

New Approaches to Consumer Health Assessment, James F. Fries, MD, Stanford University School of Medicine
The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided a framework for the development of an effective health risk assessment (HRA) tool in a 2011 report. Importantly, an effective HRA process should be focused on improving patient health rather than merely the computing of risks. This plan includes shared decision-making between a patient and practitioner. Shared decision-making should address mutually agreed actions to improve health, based on prioritization of a patient’s risks. An HRA without an associated time-oriented intervention tailored to individual needs does little or nothing to improve health. What is the patient’s ability to effect change? What tools are required to make this happen? Learn how to answer these questions and more as this session explores what is critically important when developing an effective HRA-based health improvement strategy.
This session is pre-approved for PHR, SPHR and GPHR recertification through the HR Certification Institute.

3:35 p.m.

Employers and Health Care Reform Post Supreme Court Review, Steven E. Wojcik, National Business Group on Health
Nearly 160 million people under age 65 in America obtain their health care coverage through the workplace, and according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, this coverage is primarily through larger employers. According to a 2010 survey by the foundation, 69 percent of all United States employers offered coverage, a figure that drops steadily by size of firm. With a goal of expanding access and adding strength to the employment-based health system, the Affordable Care Act of 2010 was designed to require midsize and large companies to make payments to the federal government if health insurance was not offered to employees and their dependents by 2014. This session will address the impact of the Supreme Court decision on employers, and the future of health care reform in America.
This session is pre-approved for PHR, SPHR and GPHR recertification through the HR Certification Institute.

4:20–5:05 p.m.

The Innovative Team Approach to Palliative Care, Sandra Gordon-Kolb, MD, CPE, MMM, University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview
The goal of palliative care is to make patients comfortable by treating their symptoms caused by illness. Historically, palliative care was offered by a hospice program designed for patients facing death. Now, programs are following this same caring approach through teams of health care providers in hospitals, nursing facilities and home health agencies in an effort to combine many possible medical therapies in an effort to reach out to patients who are suffering from serious illness. Unlike hospice care, palliative care can be offered to patients at any time between diagnosis and recovery. In this session, learn how palliative care offers support for both patient and family, improving the quality of life for persons suffering from serious illness.

5:05–7:00 p.m.

Welcome Reception and Exhibit Grand Opening—Chicago Ballroom, 5th Floor
Join us as we officially celebrate the opening of this year's conference. Visit with our Network Medical Centers as well as exhibitors from a variety of industry organizations while networking with other attendees and OptumHealth executives, clinicians, and staff. The Welcome Reception is THE place to be as you relax with great food, beverages and entertainment before heading out for a night on the town!!
Support for this reception is provided by UW Health–University of Wisconsin Transplant Program.

7:00–11:30 a.m.

Wellness Screenings and Flu Vaccinations—Grand Ballroom Salon I, 7th Floor
Preventive health screenings and flu vaccinations are available at no cost to all conference attendees. Screenings take approximately 15–20 minutes. More information.
Support for this activity is provided by OptumHealth Wellness Inc.

7:25–8:15 a.m.

5th Annual Wellness Walk
Start your morning with a trek along the shoreline of Lake Michigan. More details including route map.

8:00 a.m.

Registration and Continental Breakfast—7th Floor

9:00 a.m.

Client Choice Awards Presentation—Grand Ballroom, 7th Floor

9:45 a.m.

Health Literacy and Effective Patient Communication, Mark V. Williams, MD, FACP, FHM, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Health literacy is the ability to understand and act on health information. This knowledge is essential for a patient to receive high quality care. Many people with the highest burden of disease have inadequate health literacy. This not only jeopardizes their care, but places a financial burden on the rest of society. In this session, gain insight into how people misinterpret medical information, and how health care professionals can develop strategies to improve these patients’ health literacy.

10:45 a.m.

Management of Asthma in Children: Can We Keep Them Out of the Hospital? Mary Beth Bollinger, DO, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Asthma affects an estimated 300 million individuals worldwide. The prevalence of asthma is increasing, especially in children. Asthma accounts for more school absences and more hospitalizations than any other chronic illness. In many children’s hospitals in the United States, it is the most common diagnosis at admission. Important components of asthma management include regular assessment and monitoring, control of factors that contribute to or aggravate symptoms, pharmacologic therapy and education of children and their caregivers. This presentation will discuss management strategies and long-term asthma care pathways with the goal of preventing reduced lung growth and providing optimal pharmacotherapy with minimal or no adverse effects.

11:30 a.m.

Luncheon Presentation, Rob Webb, President, UnitedHealth Group Ventures, and Senior Vice President, UnitedHealth Group (nonaccredited/optional)—Grand Ballroom

*Rob's Metal Chicken

1:00 p.m.

Dessert Reception—Exhibit Hall, Chicago Ballroom, 5th Floor
The exposition reopens, providing an opportunity to visit exhibitors showcasing their products and services surrounding complex and chronic medical conditions. A selection of desserts will be available inside the Exhibit Hall.

1:45 p.m.

Hepatitis C: Where Are We Now? Current Therapies and Impact on Liver Transplantation, Cristiano Quintini, MD, Cleveland Clinic
Approximately 4.1 million American are antibody-positive for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and approximately 75 percent of them are chronically infected. Most of the latter were infected 20–40 years ago, before the discovery of HCV. Without changes in current case identification and treatment, deaths from HCV are forecasted to increase to 35,000 annually by 2030. Although most patients with chronic HCV are asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis, they are confronted with a significant threat to their life and will require both medical and emotional support. The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) published new guidelines in 2009 for chronic hepatitis C infection. Learn the current strategies in treating both the disease and the unique needs of these patients.

2:30 p.m.

Stroke Prevention in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation, Paul A. Friedman, MD, Mayo Clinic
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is actually the most frequent cardiac arrhythmia in adults, and it's on the rise. Right now, about 2.7 million Americans have AF. As our population ages, predictions indicate there may be many more by 2020 or 2030. Ischemic stroke is the most frequent clinical sign of embolism associated with AF. Learn the current standards being used in clinical practice to enhance stroke prevention measures in patients with chronic AF.

3:15 p.m.

Break

3:35 p.m.

The Childhood Obesity Epidemic: Historical, Practical and Ethical Issues, David B. Allen, MD, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Obesity has become one of the most important public health problems in the United States. The comorbidities associated with obesity are difficult to manage at any age, but “adult diseases” are now showing up in children and adolescents who are overweight or obese. In this session, lessons learned from recent research will be presented in regard to childhood obesity.

4:30 p.m.

Integration of Mental Health Care Into Chronic Disease Management, Kathleen Reynolds, LMSW, ACSW, SAMHSA-HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions
People who live with serious mental illness tend to die 25 years earlier than the rest of the population. While a higher rate of suicide may account for some of these early deaths, the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) found that three out of every five persons with serious mental illnesses die due to a preventable health condition. For those living with mental illness, chronic conditions significantly impact recovery. There is strong evidence of positive health impact when there is access to high-quality, integrated care for individuals with serious mental illnesses. This session will discuss the need for integration of care for chronic conditions, including mental health care.

5:30–7:00 p.m.

Closing Reception—Exhibit Hall, Chicago Ballroom, 5th Floor
Join us in the Exhibit Hall as we wrap up a busy day two of the National Conference with music, fabulous food and beverages.

7:00–8:00 a.m.

Workout With Vanessa—Grand Ballroom Salon I, 7th Floor
Jump start your day by joining Vanessa Underwood for a workout session that promises to both energize and motivate. Vanessa will lead her own version of Zumba—a fusion of Latin and International music that includes dance themes to create a dynamic, exciting and effective fitness program designed for participants of ANY LEVEL! The session is a cardio-based workout with components of resistance/sculpting training for the entire body.

8:30 a.m.

Continental Breakfast—7th Floor Foyer

9:00 a.m.

Welcome—Grand Ballroom, 7th Floor

9:15 a.m.

Clinical Applications for Acute and Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GVHD), Rita M. Jakubowski, MSN, RN, OCN, ANP, BC, Mount Sinai Medical Center
Over 80 percent of patients with chronic GVHD experience problems with their skin. These skin conditions can either be limited or extensive, and can seriously affect patient morbidity and mortality. Nursing care of the patient with acute or chronic GVHD requires a skillful assessment, patient and family education, and clinical interventions that aim to prevent or minimalize the complications of GVHD. Learn more about the important role nurses play in coordinating the multiple disciplines involved in the care of patients with GVHD.

10:00 a.m.

Aging and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (HCT), Andrew S. Artz, MD, MS, The University of Chicago Medicine
Poor long-term outcomes for many hematologic conditions that are standard indications in younger adults have naturally pushed the potentially curative procedure of allogeneic HCT for older adults. The feasibility of allogeneic HCT among older and less-fit adults has been established over the past decade, and the number of transplants being performed has grown rapidly for adults 50 years and older. Learn about the risks and benefits for allogeneic HCT for older adults.

11:00 a.m.

Break—Prize drawing winners announced.

11:20 a.m.

Ins and Outs of Kidney Paired Exchanges: What Are the Challenges to Broader Usage? Lloyd E. Ratner, MD, MPH, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center
Participating in the paired kidney exchange program allows for a recipient to receive a better-matched kidney and helps other individuals who would otherwise continue to wait for a matched donor. Overcoming the barriers to the organ-donation crisis has been challenging, but now with kidney paired donation, these individuals have hope that offers a new supply of organs that could decrease the relentless expansion of the gap between kidney supply and demand. This presentation will review the concept of paired exchange in order to increase the number of transplants prior to end-stage kidney disease.

12:15 p.m.

The Role of Induced Immune Tolerance in Transplantation, Joseph R. Leventhal, MD, PhD, Northwestern Memorial Hospital
One of the biggest battles associated with organ transplant is the management of side effects resulting from lifelong use of immunosuppressants to prevent rejection. The toxicity of chronic immunosuppressive agents has prompted investigators to pursue approaches to induce immune tolerance in hopes of making it possible for patients to live without the need for immunosuppressive drugs. This session will offer information about durable chimerism and donor-specific tolerance in solid organ transplant recipients.

1:00 p.m.

Adjourn