SEPTEMBER 2023

Bladder Cancer Update: Advances in Treatment and the Role of Early Diagnosis
September 13, 1–2 PM ET
This activity will provide participants with an overview of early bladder cancer (BC) diagnosis and its impact on survival rates. It will explore recently approved therapies for BC both as standalone treatments and in combination with established therapeutic approaches. Emerging therapies and their potential benefits will be examined, and the value of biomarkers will be discussed. Participants will gain insight into treatment strategies to optimize patient outcomes in BC. 

Optimal Care Grand Rounds Series: Nonsurgical Management of Overweight/Obesity
September 20, 6–7 p.m. ET or 8–9 p.m. ET
This activity is part of a multisession, accredited series that will provide primary care providers (PCPs) with actionable content that addresses evidence-based diagnosis and treatment approaches for many of the high-priority complex diseases frequently encountered in practice. This activity will discuss how to effectively assess for obesity and provide nonsurgical management interventions through helping patients commit to lifestyle changes and the use of pharmacotherapies.
Live, Accredited Webcast

OCTOBER 2023

32nd Annual National Conference
October 2–4, Minneapolis, MN
The Annual National Conference addresses gaps in the management of complex medical and behavioral health care. The agenda will be designed to address current, critical issues — from a clinical and financial perspective — that you can apply to the management of your patients and/or their benefits.
Live, Onsite Conference

Autism Spectrum Disorder: Overview, Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
October 18, 2–3 PM ET
This activity will provide an overview of neurodiversity and examine the essential features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including deficits in social communication and interaction, as well as distinct patterns of repetitive behaviors, interests and activities. It will also discuss ASD and developmental screening and explore optimal approaches to care following a diagnosis. 

NOVEMBER 2023

Autism Spectrum Disorder: Treatment Options for Children
November 1, 2–3 PM ET
This activity will focus on various evidence-based treatments for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including psychopharmacology, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and intensive behavioral therapies, including applied behavioral analysis (ABA). The significance of early intervention services and educational support beyond preschool will be highlighted. In addition, the benefits of supportive practices such as mindfulness and stress management for caregivers will be explored. 

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Incorporating Palliative Care Into Your Primary Care Practice
Providing appropriate care to patients at the end of life, and to their families, is an important role in a primary care practice. Incorporating palliative care into a primary care practice has the potential not only of improving the quality of care delivered to patients, but also of enhancing the professional satisfaction of physicians. The primary care setting is an excellent venue for addressing end-of-life care relevant to all patients, and the primary care provider (PCP) can serve as an advocate for improved care of the dying by maintaining comfort and optimizing quality of life. This activity will discuss the role of palliative care in a primary care setting and the impact it has on quality of life for patients and their families. Patients who can benefit from palliative care will be identified and strategies to engage patients in the palliative-care discussion will also be reviewed, along with resources for both patients and providers that require a higher level of care.

Empathy: Social Care Education
The empathy series is designed to equip you with social care expertise that drives deeper awareness and compassionate care for the people you serve. This content is applicable to any role within health care, focusing on critical concepts like health equity, social determinants of health, empathy, health disparities, cultural humility, motivational interviewing and compassion. This series will require you to reflect on your personal and cultural experiences and encourage you to slow down, actively listen and take the appropriate action to serve others, whether that be patients, colleagues, family, friends or your community.

Active Surveillance and Management of Prostate Cancer
Early-stage prostate cancer, which is confined to the prostate gland, grows slowly and has a five-year survival rate of approximately 99 percent. Early detection and diagnosis can have a significant impact on prognosis and quality of life; however, questions still exist regarding the best approach to screening and active surveillance of this disease. This activity will provide an overview of the natural history of early-stage prostate cancer and review current data on the benefits and drawbacks of screening. It will discuss important aspects of diagnosis and describe evidence-based strategies for detection of early-stage prostate cancer.

Unlocking Patient-reported Outcomes to Advance Quality, Experience and Decision Making
Patient-reported outcomes (PRO) can be an effective tool in assessing the impact of the clinician, health care team, and health care system on patients’ general health, quality of life, and outcomes. The tracking of PRO scores can be used to clarify which performance areas are being competently delivered, reveal areas needing improvement and determine the comparative effectiveness of treatment approaches. This activity will explore the value of PRO measures in the health system and discuss methods of optimally integrating these measures. It will discuss strategies that the health care team and health system can use to interpret and apply PRO data to add value to current care delivery practices.

The Diagnostic Odyssey for Individuals with Rare Diseases: Kaposiform Lymphangiomatosis and Other Lymphatic Conditions
Kaposiform lymphangiomatosis (KLA) is a rare, life-threatening congenital lymphatic malformation. Please join us as Dr. Denise Adams explores the recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of KLA and other lymphatic conditions, including current clinical trials. She will also share insights and perspectives from and provide strategies to support the well-being of both the individual and their family/caregiver(s).

Diabesity: A Call for Urgent Action
The emergence of diabesity—the occurrence of diabetes and obesity and their combined adverse health effects—as a rapidly growing modern epidemic underscores the urgent need for education around prevention, early detection, adequate management and approaches to reversing this disease. This activity will highlight new updates in our understanding of how diabesity develops and describe the negative physiologic effects of this disease on multiple body systems, notably the cardiovascular and renal systems.

The Diagnostic Odyssey for Individuals with Rare Diseases: Achondroplasia and Other Causes of Disproportionate Short Stature
There are many different conditions that can cause disproportionate short stature, but achondroplasia is the most common skeletal dysplasia found in humans, accounting for 90% of cases of disproportionate short stature. Please join us as Dr. Gary Bellus explores the recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of achondroplasia and other causes of disproportionate short stature. He will also share the importance of the interprofessional team to provide insights, perspectives, and strategies to support the well-being of both the individual and their family/caregiver(s).

Health Equity Foundations
Health equity is achieved when every person, regardless of race, place or circumstance, has the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Some of the known barriers to health equity are referred to as social determinants of health (SDoH) and are determined by the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, play and age. These barriers, driven by structural racism, discrimination and stigma, include poverty and the lack of access to quality education, housing, good jobs and comprehensive, high-quality health care. Communities that are overwhelmingly impacted by these obstacles are underserved, including communities of color, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, women and those who live in rural settings. This activity will define health equity; distinguish between equity, equality and justice; discuss health equity and inequities; and identify individual strategies to promote health equity.

The Diagnostic Odyssey for Individuals with Rare Diseases: Pompe Disease and Other Lysosomal Storage Diseases
Lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) are a group of over 70 diseases that are characterized by lysosomal dysfunction, most of which are inherited as autosomal recessive traits. Please join us as Dr. Jennifer Cohen explores the recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of Pompe disease and other LSDs, including current clinical trials. She will also share insights and perspectives from and provide strategies to support the well-being of both the individual and their family/caregiver(s) and highlight the role of the interprofessional team in evaluating and improving care for patients with these conditions.

Advanced Degenerative Joint Disease and Chronic Lower Back Pain: Evidence-Based Approaches to Care
This is the third of a multisession, accredited series. This session will focus on evidence-based management approaches to advanced degenerative joint disease (DJD) and chronic lower back pain (CLBP). It will discuss the effectiveness of current common interventions, including the utility and role of multimodal rehabilitation therapy, epidural steroid injections (ESI), joint fusion procedures,
and nerve stimulation modalities aimed at reducing pain.

Systemic Mastocytosis: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Updates
Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is often called “the great imitator.” Its symptoms are frequently complex and can mimic those of several other disorders. Individuals can suffer for years before being correctly diagnosed. Please join us as Dr. Daniel DeAngelo reviews the symptoms and signs of SM, provides an overview of new and current therapies and identifies SM guideline updates. The value of an interdisciplinary team-based approach along the continuum of care will also be discussed. 

New Trends in the Management of Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
This is the second of a multisession, accredited series. This session will discuss newer approaches that effectively integrate standard interventions into management plans tailored to the individual’s particular symptoms, review the value of pulmonary rehabilitation, and outline the effective evaluation of therapeutic responses. Emerging trends in asthma and COPD management will also be discussed.

Healing Racial Trauma Through Somatic Anti-Racism Practices
The effects of experienced and on-going trauma have a long-lasting impact on mental and physical health, behavioral tendencies and social relationships, including those within the workplace. This activity will identify the multifaceted effects of past and continuous trauma—including collective and racial trauma—on the well-being of individuals, cultures, communities, and social environments. It will review racism and oppressive tendencies and present strategies to skillfully manage difficult racial and cultural situations and their associated stressful responses. Importantly, trauma management therapies and practices will be identified, along with approaches to building communal anti-racist culture within the workplace.

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
This session will discuss the prevalence, diagnosis and factors that contribute to the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Best practices for the treatment of individuals with NAFLD will also be discussed.

Across the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Spectrum: A Call to Action
This activity will provide health care providers with increased awareness surrounding these issues so that communication with LGBTQ+ people is respectful and sensitive. It will review how patient-provider interactions can be more supportive of the individual’s needs, how to take a full history and perform an inclusive and affirming physical exam, and how health information can be thoughtfully documented to provide accurate information regarding health issues, screening recommendations and risk prevention.

The Diagnostic Odyssey for Individuals With Rare Diseases: Leukodystrophies
This activity will explore recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of leukodystrophies, including current clinical trials. It will also share insights and perspectives from individuals and their family/caregiver(s) and provide strategies to support their well-being.