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 individual factors that influence health literacy.
2. Describe the challenges of health care providers related to inadequate patient health literacy.
3. List the tools and resources available to promote health literacy.

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.

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.