Opioid Dependence, the Flint Water Crisis, and Zika Virus Among the Highlights of the Upcoming Preventive Medicine 2016 Conference
Washington, DC (PRWEB) February 21, 2016 -- The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) will host Preventive Medicine 2016 (http://preventivemedicine2016.org), February 24–27, for more than 700 medical professionals dedicated to disease prevention and public health. Organized around the theme “The Power of Prevention,” the meeting will feature lectures and discussions covering topics such as opioid abuse, diabetes prevention, the Flint water crisis, the Zika virus, emergency preparedness, and many more.
ACPM—the leading U.S.-based medical society of preventive medicine specialists—welcomes members of the media to attend sessions held Thursday–Saturday at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City, Va. Participation is free for all credentialed press; please visit the registration desk when arriving on-site. Key sessions for your consideration include:
Preventing Zika: Preventive Medicine and the Latest Emerging Disease (Thursday, 9:45–10:30 a.m.)—Speakers from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and AmeriCares will highlight basics of the Zika virus disease and discuss how preventive medicine specialists can highlight, for public health decision-makers, how Zika and it's rare complications make it different from other more endemic vector-borne viruses.
Development of the Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain (Thursday, 3:45–5:00 p.m.)—Officials from the CDC will present a draft of the guideline designed for use by primary care providers, review the development process, and discuss how the recommendations can be used to address the epidemic of prescription opioid dependence and overdose in the U.S.
Preventing Diabetes—Making Clinic-to-Community Connections (Thursday, 5:15–6:30 p.m.)—Stakeholders from the CDC, American Medical Association, Anthem Blue Cross, the YMCA, and Omada Health will discuss the challenges of enrolling the estimated 86 million adults with prediabetes in the U.S. in evidence-based lifestyle change programs, such as the National Diabetes Prevention Program.
The Flint Water Crisis (Friday, 8:00–9:00 a.m.)—Mona Hanna-Attisha, Hurley Medical Center, will examine the factors that led to the contamination of drinking water in Flint, Mich., how the crisis could have been averted, and discuss potential individual and population health impacts.
Ebola Epidemic Response: Perspectives From Experience in Liberia (Friday, 12:00–1:00 p.m.)—Representatives from the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps will describe their recent deployment to Liberia in response to the Ebola crisis and discuss what the experience can teach us about domestic emergency preparedness.
Preventive Services Task Force Updates (Friday, 10:45–11:45 a.m. / 12:00–1:00 p.m.)—In separate sessions, representatives from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the CDC will describe how independently-developed clinical and community preventive service recommendations can be used to protect and improve the public's health, referencing recent updates for aspirin and statins use to prevent cardiovascular disease and screening protocols for autism, diabetes, and several types of cancer.
“We are thrilled with the breadth of expertise that will gather for Preventive Medicine 2016, among both faculty and attendees,” said Daniel S. Blumenthal, president of ACPM. “As we face mounting challenges in public health, it is absolutely critical to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and be inspired by our colleagues to bring our very best to our work in preventive medicine.”
Throughout the event, press may attend live sessions, follow social media conversations using the #PrevMed2016 tag, and access photos, updates, and key announcements through ACPM’s media resources page. (http://www.acpm.org/?page=socialmedia&utm_source=news&utm_medium=release&utm_term=media&utm_content=social-media&utm_campaign=meeting)
ACPM will also host pre-conference activities early in the week for medical professionals to delve into issues critical to their professional practice and to the future of preventive medicine. These full-day activities for attendees include:
Building Community Health Symposium—Leaders representing a wide range of health, policy, and human resources sectors will convene on Tuesday to explore innovative new programs designed to encourage health and wellness at the community level. A keynote address by Robin Schepper, Senior Adviser of the Bipartisan Policy Center, will be supported by presentations from Robert W. Carr, Rick Brush, and Tevi Troy covering business, culture, and policy perspectives, respectively. Press may attend this event. (http://www.acpm.org/?page=HealthyCommunities&utm_source=news&utm_medium=release&utm_term=hcprogram&utm_content=title&utm_campaign=meeting)
Health Systems Transformation Learning Institute—With support from the CDC, ACPM is piloting a full-day workshop on Wednesday for physicians to learn about systems-based approaches to improving patient and public health that are designed to increase the overall efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare. Participants will learn about team-based care, shared decision making, alternative payment models, health information technology, and more. This workshop is only open to meeting attendees.
Advocacy Day—Physicians will meet with more than 250 congressional offices on Wednesday, advocating for federal support of the nation’s preventive medicine residency training programs. Participants, including representatives from the YMCA, also plan to promote the continuation of Medicare coverage of the National Diabetes Prevention Program and the expansion of the National Violent Death Reporting System. Important updates from this activity will be shared through ACPM’s social media channels.
“Preventive Medicine 2016 has been designed using a cross-cutting lens to explore new ways to address our broad prevention and health outcomes mandate,” said Charlene Brown, USAID and ACPM Conference Planning Chair. “We will shine a spotlight on innovative, evidence-based work to find more sustainable and efficient solutions to address current and future health challenges and disparities.”
The American College of Preventive Medicine is a professional society providing leadership in research, professional education, development of public policy, and enhancement of standards of preventive medicine for and on behalf of our physician members. Uniquely trained in both clinical medicine and public health, preventive medicine specialists are equipped to understand and reduce the risks of disease, disability, and death in individuals and in population groups. (http://www.acpm.org/?utm_source=news&utm_medium=release&utm_term=home&utm_content=acpm&utm_campaign=meeting)
Michael A. Barry, CAE, American College of Preventive Medicine, http://www.acpm.org, +1 (202) 466-2044 Ext: 106, [email protected]
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