6:15 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Mayo Clinic Facility Tour—Check in at the Marriott Street Level Lobby
This tour is provided by Mayo Clinic.

12:15–3:30 p.m.

University of Minnesota Health Facility Tour—Check in at the Marriott Street Level Lobby
This tour is provided by University of Minnesota Health Transplant Services.

5:00–6:30 p.m.

Welcome and Wine Tasting Reception—Exhibit Hall, 4th Floor
Support for this reception is provided by University of Minnesota Health Transplant Services.

7:30 a.m.

Registration and Continental Breakfast—Exhibits Open, 4th Floor

8:30 a.m.

Welcome and Opening Remarks—Grand Portage Ballroom, 4th Floor

9:00 a.m.

Keynote Address—Infectious Diseases of the 21st Century: A New World Order, Michael T. Osterholm, PhD, MPH, University of Minnesota Health

The emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases involves many interrelated factors. As the 21st century begins, already new agents have been identified, and new outbreaks have occurred. Solutions to limiting the spread of emerging infectious diseases will require cooperative efforts among many disciplines and entities worldwide. The international public health and medical communities and global political leadership need to reconsider their approach to the prevention, control and treatment of these emerging infections. Our keynote speaker today will define these diseases and major factors contributing to the current emergence of infectious diseases of critical global importance. This presentation will also provide the implications of modern infectious diseases for your community, workplace and family.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the major factors contributing to the current emergence of infectious diseases of critical global importance.
2. Discuss the common features of pandemic potential for infectious diseases such as H5N1 and H7N9 influenza viruses, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome virus (MERS) and West Africa Ebola virus.
3. Describe how the international public health and medical communities and global political leadership need to reconsider their approach to the prevention, control, and treatment of emerging infections.
4. Understand the implications of modern infectious diseases for your community, workplace and family.

10:00 a.m.

Break—Exhibits Open

10:30 a.m.

The Use of New Agents and Their Roles in the Management, Control, and Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes, Richard Bergenstal, MD, International Diabetes Center

Pharmacologic therapy of type 2 diabetes has changed dramatically in the last 10 years, with new drugs and drug classes becoming available. These drugs allow for the use of combination oral therapy, often with improvement in glycemic control that was previously beyond the reach of medical therapy. Early initiation of pharmacologic therapy is associated with improved glycemic control and reduced long-term complications in type 2 diabetes. This session will outline the use of new agents available for patient diabetes and the roles these new agents play in the management of type 2 diabetes.

Learning Objectives:

1. List drug classes used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
2. Discuss the treatment of type 2 diabetes with combinations of drugs and insulin.
3. Review the American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines for pharmacologic therapy for type 2 diabetes.

11:15 a.m.

Congestive Heart Failure: Updates in Management, Joseph G. Rogers, MD, Duke University Medical Center

Congestive heart failure (CHF) affects almost 5 million people in the United States, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Utilizing opportunities to improve the delivery of comprehensive heart-failure care and implementing strategies to improve patient outcomes are imperative in the management of this condition, which is currently associated with a five-year mortality rate of 50 percent and the highest 30-day readmission rate in the United States at 26 percent. This presentation will provide an overview of the rationale for new guidelines and discuss key elements of evidence-based management for heart failure.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify key elements of evidence-based management for heart failure.
2. Provide an overview of the American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) and American Heart Association (AHA) jointly produced heart-failure-treatment guidelines for each stage of heart failure.
3. Describe the current research that is likely to define the future of heart-failure management.

12:00 p.m.

Lunch (provided)—6th Floor

1:00 p.m.

Lung Transplant: Current Status, What’s New? Michael Petty, PhD, RN, CCNS, ACNS-BC, University of Minnesota Health

Lung transplantation is an accepted modality of treatment for advanced-stage lung disease. Lung transplantation for advanced-stage lung disease is a complex therapy with significant risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality, therefore, each patient needs to be evaluated individually and meet a broad range of physical and psychosocial criteria to become eligible for transplantation. This session will discuss the complexity of lung transplantation, management strategies and the guidelines for recipient selection.

Learning Objectives:

1. List the advanced-stage pulmonary diseases that are indications for lung transplantation.
2. State the appropriate timing for referral to a transplant program and describe the patient-selection process.
3. Discuss management strategies for patients before, during and after their transplant surgery.

2:00 p.m.

Who Is Likely to Receive a Kidney Transplant? Anton I. Skaro, MD, PhD, FRCS(C), FACS, Northwestern Memorial Hospital

A kidney transplant is often the best treatment for kidney failure. Despite a steady increase in the number of transplants involving living kidney donors performed each year in the United States, there still remains a significant shortage of kidneys available for transplant. When a living compatible donor is not available, the patient’s name may be placed on the kidney transplant waiting list to receive a kidney. The wait time for a kidney may take years since, on average, every 14 minutes a new name is placed on a kidney wait list. This session will discuss the kidney transplant allocation algorithm and how to best manage patients waiting for a kidney transplant.

Learning Objectives:

1. Review the kidney transplantation allocation algorithm.
2. Discuss management strategies for patients that are listed and likely to receive a kidney transplant.
3. List reasons why patients are not likely to receive a kidney transplant.

3:00 p.m.

Break—Exhibits Open

3:15 p.m.

Multiple Myeloma Treatment Options: Does One Size Fit All? Francis K. Buadi, MD, Mayo Clinic

There has been tremendous progress made in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) in the last decade, resulting in improved overall survival for patients, including those with high-risk disease and those ineligible for transplantation. This session will discuss the role of autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) for MM and treatment options for nontransplant candidates, as well as treatment options for the relapsed patient.

Learning Objectives:

1. State the role of autologous SCT for MM.
2. Review treatment options for patients with relapsed disease.
3. Discuss the treatment options for nontransplantation candidates.

4:15 p.m.

Pediatric Palliative Care: Navigating Towards Comfort, Richard D. Goldstein, MD, Boston Children's Hospital

Palliative care focuses on the prevention and relief of suffering for patients with serious, chronic, and life-threatening illnesses. The aim of palliative care is to achieve the best possible quality of life for patients and their families. Despite great advances in controlling pain, health care professionals struggle to provide high quality pain management when caring for pediatric patients. This presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of the physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs of children and their families.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the challenges faced by health care professionals when managing a child’s pain.
2. Review the medical criteria for a pediatric palliative care program.
3. Recognize the impact of an effective pain- and symptom-management program to help children achieve the best possible quality of life.

5:00–7:00 p.m.

Networking Reception and Expo—Exhibit Hall, 4th Floor
Support for this reception is provided by UW Health Transplant Program.

7:15–8:15 a.m.

8th Annual Wellness Walk—Check in at 4th Floor Registration Desk 
>Learn more about the Wellness Walk
Support for this activity is provided by Novo Nordisk.

8:00–9:00 a.m.

Registration and Continental Breakfast—Exhibits Open, 4th Floor

9:00 a.m.

Welcome and Opening Remarks—Grand Portage Ballroom, 4th Floor

9:15 a.m.

Organ Transplantations and Ethical Dilemmas, Giuliano Testa, MD, FACS, MBA, Baylor University Medical Center

Organ transplantation involves the transfer of a donor organ to another individual to replace a recipient’s damaged organ. The transfer of an organ may come from a living donor or a donor that has died. Unfortunately, the demand to receive organs far exceeds the available supply. The gift of a lifetime to receive an organ is built upon public trust that is subject to many ethical dilemmas. It is imperative that health care professionals (HCPs) are equipped to deal with the ethical dilemmas that will arise from dealing with donors and recipients. This session will discuss ethical principles as they relate to organ donors and will also address the ethical issues with the organ recipients.

Learning Objectives:

1. Review how organ transplantation is built upon public trust.
2. Recognize the ethical principles as they relate to the organ donor.
3. Discuss the ethical principles as they relate to the organ recipient.

10:15 a.m.

Break—Exhibits Open

10:30 a.m.

Is a Cure Within Reach? T-Cell Immunotherapy for Relapsed Leukemia, Shannon L. Maude, MD, PhD, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood leukemia. Some patients with ALL have a highly aggressive form of the disease, one that causes either the cancer to recur or is resistant from the start to standard treatment. This session will discuss a promising method of immunotherapy that involves genetically programming cells from the patient’s own immune system to fight the disease and treat children with relapsed ALL who have run out of options.

Learning Objectives:

1. State the impact of T-cell therapy on patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
2. Evaluate when to consider T-cell therapy for the treatment of ALL.
3. Discuss the future potential for T-cell therapy.

11:30 a.m.

The Role of Biosimilars in Health Care, Louis M. Weiner, MD, Georgetown University Medical Center

Meeting rising health care costs while attempting to not compromise access to quality medical care remains one of the most daunting challenges that faces health care. This is where introducing biosimilars can play an important role in the health care system, generating significant savings. Biosimilars are a type of biological product that is approved by the FDA because they are highly similar to an already FDA-approved biological product, known as the biological reference and have been shown to have no clinically meaningful differences from the reference product. This session will define biosimilars and the role they play in the health care system.

Learning Objectives:

1. Compare biosimilar and the reference product in terms of their safety, purity, and potency.
2. Discuss the role of biosimilars in the health care system and why are they important.

12:30 p.m.

Luncheon Presentation (nonaccredited-optional; lunch provided)—Grand Portage Ballroom

1:45 p.m.

Dessert Reception—Exhibit Hall

2:30 p.m.

Liver Transplant and Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), R. Mark Ghobrial, MD, PhD, FACS, FRCS (Ed), Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center

HCC is an aggressive tumor that often occurs in the setting of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. The only potentially curative treatment options are resection and liver transplantation. Among patients who are not candidates for liver resection, some who have cirrhosis and HCC are candidates for a potentially curative liver transplantation. This session will discuss the role of liver transplantation in the presence of HCC and factors associated with the recurrence of HCC posttransplant.

Learning Objectives:

1. Review the role of liver transplantation for patients with HCC.
2. Discuss recurrence and other outcomes in patients with HCC who receive a liver transplant.

3:15 p.m.

Advances in the Treatment of Melanoma, Jeffrey E. Gershenwald, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer and is the leading cause of death from skin disease. The key to successfully treating melanoma is recognizing symptoms early, but that is not always the case, and treatment is more difficult when the melanoma has spread to other organs. This session will outline treatments that are the standard of care and new treatment options available for melanoma patients.

Learning Objectives:

1. Provide an overview of treatment options for malignant melanoma.
2. State the key factors in choosing a therapeutic approach for the patient with advanced melanoma.

4:00 p.m.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) as a Public Health Crisis, Jay B. Wish, MD, Indiana University Hospital

CKD is a growing epidemic in the United States and worldwide. Morbidity and mortality among patients with CKD are high, as are costs associated with care, which is highly fragmented. This presentation will address the growing magnitude of CKD incidence, highlight challenges to meeting evidence-based guidelines, and identify strategies used in early detection of this “silent” disease.

Learning Objectives:

1. Review the increased incidence of CKD.
2. Discuss challenges to meeting the evidence-based guidelines for CKD.
3. Identify strategies for early detection of CKD.

5:00 p.m.

Adjourn

8:30 a.m.

Continental Breakfast—4th Floor

9:00 a.m.

Welcome Remarks—Grand Portage Ballroom, 4th Floor

9:15 a.m.

Health Literacy, Communication and Chronic Disease Care, Dean Schillinger, MD, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine

Health literacy is the ability to understand and act on health information. The goal of our country’s health care system is to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases and to improve the physical and mental well-being of all Americans. Many people with the highest burden of comorbidities have inadequate health literacy. Overall, health literacy impacts patients’ health care outcomes with their ability to: fill out forms; locate providers and services; provide health histories; manage complex illness; and take medications appropriately. This presentation will address the current state of health literacy and will discuss methods to promote health literacy in patients with chronic diseases.

Learning Objectives:

1. Recognize the myriad of ways in which limited health literacy affects chronic disease outcomes (using diabetes as an exemplar).
2. Understand how communication plays a key role in overcoming health literacy-related disparities.
3. Identify three communication tools to improve chronic disease care for patients with limited health literacy.
4. Define attributes of health literate health care organizations.

10:00 a.m.

Chronic Back Pain Management: What’s New in Treatment Options for this Population? Franz Macedo, DO, Minneapolis VA Health Care System

Back pain is a very common condition wherein it is estimated 80 percent of Americans will experience some type of back pain within their lifetime. Patients may be treated for acute back pain that will resolve quickly with no residual loss of function. On the other hand, 20 percent of these patients will have chronic back pain that will last greater than 12 weeks. Chronic back pain may be due to a diagnosable anatomical cause or from no clear identifiable explanation. The treatment for chronic back pain may include a variety of interventions, such as medications, narcotics, nerve “block injections,” physical therapy or surgery. This session will discuss new advancements and better solutions on how to successfully manage chronic back pain.

Learning Objectives:

1. Distinguish the difference between acute and chronic back pain.
2. Discuss the challenges providers and patients face when dealing with chronic back pain.
3. Review new treatment options for patients experiencing chronic back pain.

10:45 a.m.

Prize Drawings & Break—Grand Portage Ballroom

11:15 a.m.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment of this Potentially Debilitating Condition, Richard D. Brasington, MD, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder of unknown etiology that affects the body’s synovial joints. The initial RA symptoms usually start with pain, stiffness and swelling of joint areas. RA may progress systemically with patients experiencing “flu like” symptoms. These symptoms are at times debilitating and may affect the patient’s capacity to perform activities of daily living, along with the inability to perform physical work. There is no cure for RA; the treatment focus is to manage the symptoms with exercises, medications, or surgery. In this presentation, learn about the RA symptoms, how to diagnose the disorder and its treatment strategies.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the symptoms of RA.
2. Gain an understanding of how to diagnose RA.
3. Summarize RA treatment strategies.

12:00 p.m.

Myelodysplastic Syndrome, Erica Warlick, MD, University of Minnesota Health

Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) is a rare blood disorder that is difficult to diagnose and transforms into acute myelogenous leukemia in about one-third of patients with MDS. Patients who have MDS are frequently misdiagnosed or diagnosed when the cancer is in its late stages.
Stem cell transplant (SCT) is usually considered the only curative option for patients with MDS and may be the treatment of choice for younger patients when a matched donor is available. In the event that SCT is not an option, MDS is not considered curable. In that case, the goal is to relieve symptoms and avoid complications and side effects of treatment. This session will discuss the importance of timing a SCT and the identification of appropriate treatment options for those not eligible for transplant.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the clinical manifestations and diagnosis of MDS.
2. Describe the most common treatment options for MDS.
3. Determine when treatment should begin for the MDS patient.
4. Review the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) for MDS.

1:00 p.m.

‘Click’ game prize drawing/Adjourn