Pulmonary Horizons (PH) Conference - Education and Training to Balance the Treatment and Management of Patients Diagnosed with COPD - San Diego, CA - August 16-17, 2014

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) February 18, 2014

The Pulmonary Horizons (PH) Conference will be held at the DoubleTree Golf Resort in San Diego, Saturday, August 16, 2014 to Sunday, August 17, 2014. This unique program will bring together key stakeholders who have a shared goal of improving the treatment and management of patient’s with COPD. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is estimated to affect 32 million persons in the United States and is the fourth leading cause of death in this country.

Patients typically have symptoms of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, but the classic triad also includes asthma. The formal diagnosis of COPD is made with spirometry; when the ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 second over forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) is less than 70% of that predicted for a matched control, it is diagnostic for a significant obstructive defect. Criteria for assessing the severity of airflow obstruction (based on the percent predicted post bronchodilator FEV1) are as follows: Stage I (mild): FEV1 80% or greater of predicted; Stage II (moderate): FEV1 50-79% of predicted; Stage III (severe): FEV1 30-49% of predicted; Stage IV (very severe): FEV1 less than 30% of predicted or FEV1 less than 50% and chronic respiratory failure.

Pulmonary Horizons programs are comprehensive and patient centered; developed by Vernon R Pertelle, MBA, RRT and Robert McCoy, BS, RRT, FAARC to help meet the complex needs of managing patients with COPD. “Our goals are to increase knowledge and support the various stakeholders by providing interactive conferences centered on evidence-based practices with a unique focus on the patient's perspective and the various respiratory care medical devices used to augment treatment plans,” said Robert McCoy, associate executive director and member of the Pulmonary Horizons program committee.

Said Vernon R. Pertelle, executive director and member of the Pulmonary Horizons program committee: "The goal of the Pulmonary Horizons program is to provide the highest quality education in a multidisciplinary learning environment that fosters research, scholarly activity, critical thinking, evidence-based practice, leadership, and professionalism. To achieve this, the program endeavors to: Promote patient health and well-being by teaching the knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed to ensure excellence in practice; Encourage innovative and responsible methods of managing and delivering high quality, cost-effective, accessible health care; Integrate new knowledge, methods and solutions within Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and Patient Centered Medical Homes (PCMHs); Respond to current and emerging public health challenges both locally and nationally; and Cultivate partnerships among health care organizations, providers, allied health care workers, patients and community organizations."

Jean Rommes, PhD, member of EFFORTS (Emphysema Foundation For Our Right to Survive) Executive Board and member of the PH program committee, said: "As a COPD patient, I particularly appreciate the emphasis this conference places on the patient, and the importance of the health care provider learning more about the patient’s needs and wishes in determining appropriate treatments and equipment to prescribe and provide. Treatments and equipment will do no good at all unless the patient thoroughly understands the purpose and effect that they are supposed to have. The focus on ensuring that health care providers not only understand the purpose and effect, but can explain them to patients is critical. As an advocate, I hear all too often of patients who don’t understand their disease, the treatment and how they can improve their quality of life.”

Brian W. Carlin, MD, renowned pulmonologist and member of the Pulmonary Horizons program committee, said: “This conference will focus on providing practical education to those who care for patients with COPD. This educational program will concentrate on those issues that are important to the patient and his/her family with a particular emphasis on how to most effectively translate the current scientific knowledge into effective patient management and outcomes.” Isabel Pereira, MD, a geriatrician and member of the PH program shares Dr. Carlin’s view on the Pulmonary Horizons conference and further added: “The future of healthcare will require non-traditional methods of care for patients who are diagnosed with COPD if we are to gain better control on the utilization of resources to improve health outcomes and the Pulmonary Horizons program is designed to shift the traditional approaches to include new knowledge. In addition, incorporate the best resources and services to their fullest potential to help manage the care of patients.”

To learn more about Pulmonary Horizons, educational program, please visit: http://www.pulmonaryhorizons.com.

About Pulmonary Horizons

The mission of Pulmonary Horizons (PH) is to offer the highest quality medical education in a learning environment that fosters critical thinking, encourages professional leadership, inspires research, and instills a strong appreciation of evidence-based knowledge in the treatment and management of patients diagnosed with COPD.

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