National Physician Assistant Conference to be Held in New Orleans

4/9/2003

From: Gabriella Madden, 703-836-2272, ext. 3501, gmadden@aapa.org, or Nancy Hughes, 703-836-2272, ext. 3505, nancyh@aapa.org, both of the American Academy of Physician Assistants

ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 9 -- The largest annual gathering of the physician assistant (PA) profession -- one of the 15 fastest-growing professions in the country -- will convene May 22-27 at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. More than 7,000 PAs and PA students are expected to attend.

The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) 31st Annual Physician Assistant Conference will have three plenary sessions with nationally renowned speakers.

-- David Satcher, M.D., former U.S. surgeon general. Satcher will talk about the nation's progress toward reaching the goals of Healthy People 2010; why creating healthy communities is an important role for every health care provider; and how PAs can incorporate the objectives of Healthy People 2010 into their practices.

-- James Gavin, M.D., chair of the National Diabetes Education Program, president of the Morehouse College School of Medicine, and nationally known diabetologist. Gavin will share his insights into the growing number of adults and youths with type 2 diabetes and offer recommendations for how PAs can help.

-- Kevin T. Fitzpatrick, PA, vice president for Global Business Development at Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, a leading international publisher of professional health information. Fitzpatrick will discuss the impact of the medical information explosion on the delivery of health care. Telemedicine, e-health, the medical Internet, HIPAA, the human genome project, and clinical guidelines - all have resulted in an information explosion in health care over the past decade. The future of medicine will depend on the ability of PAs and other providers to master medical information efficiently and effectively.

The conference keynote address will be given by Erik Weihenmayer, who became the first blind climber ever to summit Mt. Everest, climbing with his friend Jeffrey Evans, an emergency room PA. In September 2002, Weihenmayer and Evans also reached the top of Australia's Mount Kosciusko. With that, Weihenmayer realized his quest to become one of only 25 Americans who have scaled the Seven Summits, the highest mountains on each of the seven continents. Weihenmayer speaks to audiences around the country on overcoming life's challenges, the importance of teamwork, and the daily struggle to pursue one's dreams.

The conference will be packed with more than 250 continuing medical education sessions (CME), including dozens of hands-on workshops, and more than 200 exhibitors presenting the newest medical products and services. To view the full schedule of CME sessions, go to the AAPA Web site at http://www.aapa.org/annual-conf/index.html. Program highlights include:

The Human Genome Project and Its Impact on PAs Alan E. Guttmacher, M.D., deputy director of the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health, will discuss how genomics will affect health care, society, and physician assistants.

Issues at the End of Life Barbara Coombs Lee, PA, FNP, J.D., president of the Compassion in Dying Federation and chief petitioner for Oregon's Death with Dignity Act, will discuss the legal and ethical underpinnings of decisions at the end of life. Coombs Lee will discuss key court decisions involving end-of-life issues, including the assisted suicide cases, as well as the benefits and weaknesses of the different types of advance directives.

A Practice Model for Preventing Type 2 Diabetes in Minority Youth Deborah Burnet, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, will discuss the national epidemic of obesity in children. Because of the correlation between obesity and diabetes, clinicians need to aggressively tackle the issue of obesity in children.

Other CME Topics Include: -- Evidence-Based Medicine & Spiritual Exile: How medical science excludes the existential -- Prevention of Medical Errors -- Talking to Your Patients about Medical Mistakes -- Outreach and Education to Latino Communities: Models that Work -- Homophobia is a Health Hazard -- American Indian Traditional Medicine: Implications for Health -- The Influence of Race on Health -- International Health Care -- Menopause Update

The AAPA House of Delegates will hold its annual meeting concurrently, May 22-24, to debate and vote on policy for the Academy and the PA profession.

Physician assistants are licensed health professionals who practice medicine as members of a team with their supervising physicians. PAs deliver a broad range of medical and surgical services to diverse populations in rural and urban settings. As part of their comprehensive responsibilities, PAs conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, assist in surgery, and prescribe medications.

AAPA is the only national organization to represent physician assistants in all medical and surgical specialties. Founded in 1968, the Academy works to promote quality, cost-effective health care, and the professional and personal growth of PAs. For more information about the Academy and the PA profession, visit the AAPA's Web site, http://www.aapa.org.