This is a lecture that covers real cases of heart failure, Afib with RVR, Torsades de points and ACS.  Objectives include: 

1. Review the risks that can lead to torsades.
2. Review Afib with RVR and what drugs to give and which ones to avoid.
3. Review the 4 pillars of heart failure management via cases and how to choose a drug.
4. Discuss why access may be limited to certain patient populations who are unable to afford 2 of the drugs.

The presentation will describe the best eating practices to optimize patient outcomes in the psychiatric patient population.  Objectives include:

1. Describe the role of the microbiome in psychiatric disorders and the foods which affect it positively and negatively.
2. List the most common nutritional deficiencies which can affect mental health.
3. Take a patient nutritional history.
4. Understand how food deserts and lack of knowledge about health promoting foods can negatively affect patients.
5. Use motivational interviewing to promote mental health promoting food choices in patients.

We will discuss evidence-based evaluation and treatment of patients with chronic constipation.  Objectives include: 

1. Develop a differential diagnosis for a patient presenting with constipation.
2. Recognize diagnostic tools available to investigate the etiology for constipation.
3. Identify evidence-based therapies available for treating constipation, to include both over-the-counter and prescription regimens.
4. Utilize strategies to reduce cost of care in individuals with chronic constipation. 

This presentation aims to provide a comprehensive review of spinal anatomy, and the critical red flags associated with lower back pain. Participants will learn to distinguish the clinical presentations of various spinal pathologies such as lower back strains, herniated discs, and spinal stenosis. The session will also cover the diagnostic principles and management strategies for lower back pain within primary care settings. Through case studies and evidence-based approaches, attendees will gain practical insights into improving patient outcomes.  Objectives include: 

1. Review the basic anatomy of the spine.
2. Discuss the relationship between social determinants of health and low back pain.
3. Identify the red flags signs and symptoms associated with lower back pain.
4. Differentiate the pathology, epidemiology, and clinical presentation of the following diseases: Lower back strain/sprain, Herniated Nucleus Pulposus, Spinal stenosis, Cauda Equina Syndrome, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Scoliosis and Spondylolysis.
5. Explain the principles of diagnosis and management of lower back pain in primary care. 

Hematological abnormalities detected through routine bloodwork are common across all areas of medicine. Determining whether an abnormality is due to a pathological process can be challenging for many providers. In this lecture, we will explore the key aspects of common hematological findings, including thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, and polycythemia. We will outline the necessary steps for providers to determine the etiology of these abnormalities and discuss how to collaborate with a hematologist if a pathological process is suspected. This will be illustrated through real-life case studies to engage the viewer and bridge textbook knowledge with clinical practice.  Objectives inlcude: 

1. Discuss the diagnosis criteria for thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, and polycythemia.
2. Identify and discuss the common etiologies for thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, and polycythemia.
3. Explain how to approach and evaluate patients with thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, and polycythemia and how to overcome health disparities that may prevent certain populations from receiving appropriate medical care for these conditions.
4. Describe techniques for interpreting hematological lab work, identifying trends and abnormalities, and recognizing “can’t miss” findings.
5. Outline management strategies for thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, and polycythemia and discuss how social determinants of health can affect compliance with follow-up and treatment.
6. Discuss when to refer patients to Hematology.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an inflammatory condition that potentially can affect multiple organ systems. Due to scientific medical advances, morbidity and mortality associated with SLE has improved in recent decades. However, there is still much to do regarding early recognition and optimum treatment for this condition. Teams of health professionals, including PAs, from various medical specialties working together will yield best outcomes. The American College of Rheumatology is also updating treatment guidelines for lupus and lupus nephritis with expected publication in 2025. Recognizing the health disparities and how lupus affects persons of varying ethnicity is also important. This session will provide a review and update of diagnostics, treatment and monitoring approaches for SLE.  Objectives include: 

1. Outline the diagnostic criteria and differential diagnosis for SLE.
2. Analyze the social determinants of health that affect the diagnosis and treatment of persons with SLE.
3. Utilize basic approaches to management of SLE including steroids, DMARDs and biologics.
4. Perform routine monitoring for disease complications and comorbidities.

Learn how to tackle the beast of resistant hypertension. Objectives inlcude: 

1. Define resistant hypertension and its diagnostic criteria.
2. Recognize clinical barriers to proper identification and treatment, including clinic environment/resources and patient characteristics such as lower socioeconomic status, learning level etc.
3. Review top causes of secondary hypertension and their workup and treatment.
4. Evaluate clinical scenarios and practical strategies for hypertensive treatment.
5. Assess the value of new therapies such as renal denervation for resistant hypertension. 

Diagnosing rheumatic disease can be difficult, but made easier by appropriately utilizing rheumatology specific laboratory testing. As a result, laboratory tests can be important diagnostic aids when used in conjunction with a good medical history and physical exam. Additionally, using laboratory tests to monitor rheumatic disease activity and tolerability of treatments for these conditions is essential for best outcomes. Helping patients with rheumatic disease understand the meaning of laboratory test results helps alleviate anxiety and bring peace of mind. Social determinants of health, including access to care and access to therapeutics, may affect the selection of rheumatic disease lab. This session will help participants better understand rheumatology laboratory tests commonly used in the care of patients with rheumatic disease. Concepts will be reinforced through correlation of the clinical utility of each test with the diagnosis of specific rheumatic diseases.  Objectives include: 

1. Select appropriate laboratory tests when evaluating patients with symptoms suggesting rheumatic conditions.
2. Analyze the social determinants of health that affect the selection of rheumatic disease laboratory.  
3. Interpret the results of laboratory tests used to diagnose and manage common rheumatic diseases.
4. Evaluate the appropriate clinical applications for laboratory test results used to diagnose and manage common rheumatic diseases.

This presentation focuses on the common coding and documentation mistakes and how the provider can easily correct these mistakes.  Objectives include: 

1. Describe how abnormal vital signs impacts coding and documentation.
2. Identify the criteria for prescription drug management.
3. List Examples of Coding and Documentation Mistakes.
4. Explain Social Determinants of Health and it's impact on coding and documentation.
5. Apply These Tips In Your Everyday Practice.

Discuss pulmonary hypertension epidemiology, diagnosis, and management for the primary care provider.  Objectives inlcude: 

1. Discuss the incidence and prevalence of pulmonary hypertension.
2. Define the 5 sub-groups of pulmonary hypertension.
3. Discuss then diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension.
4. Identify barriers to treatment of pulmonary hypertension and the importance of multidisciplinary care.

Obesity is a complex medical condition affecting millions, yet weight bias in healthcare often leads to disparities in treatment and outcomes. This session will explore the multifaceted challenges of obesity care, focusing on strategies to reduce weight bias in clinical practice, the latest pharmacologic advances in obesity treatment, and navigating systemic challenges such as insurance barriers and social determinants of health (SDOH). Participants will learn how to provide compassionate, evidence-based care that addresses both the biological and social complexities of obesity, ultimately improving patient engagement and health outcomes.  Objectives inlcude: 

1. Recognize and address weight bias in clinical settings, and discuss its impact on patient care and outcomes.
2. Describe the latest pharmacologic treatments for obesity, including indications, efficacy, and patient selection criteria.
3. Analyze how social determinants of health (SDOH) affect access to obesity care and develop strategies to mitigate these disparities in clinical practice.
4. Discuss practical approaches to overcoming systemic challenges in obesity care, including insurance coverage for treatments and managing prior authorizations.
5. Apply case-based learning to integrate weight bias reduction, pharmacologic treatment, and systemic strategies into patient-centered obesity care.

Practical advice for practicing PAs to avoid and manage polypharmacy.  Objectives inlcude: 

1. Review most commonly prescribed medications and key complications associated with polypharmacy in elderly patients.
2. Evaluate strategies for deprescribing and optimizing. medication regimens in older adults.
3. Highlight clinical interventions and patient education that will prevent and manage polypharmacy in the elderly.

This lecture will discuss the prevalence and risks of various forms of child neglect (medical, physical, educational, etc). PAs treating children will be provided with guidance about how to recognize neglect, document concerns, and respond to child neglect.  Objectives include: 

1. Identify child neglect as the most prevalent form of child maltreatment. 
2. List and define various forms of neglect that a PA treating children might encounter.
3. Discuss the parameters for diagnosing medical neglect as supported by the literature.
4. Identify social determinants of health may impact the risk for neglect. 
5. Discuss how to respond to neglect through the provision of support and/or reporting of suspected neglect.

Review harms of tobacco use and evidence-base treatment.  Objectives include: 

1. Understand health disparities related to commercial tobacco and factors that cause these disparities.
2. Describe disease burden of tobacco use.
3. Assess the drivers of tobacco use .?
4. Understand evidence-based treatment for tobacco use including pharmacotherapy and behavioral therapy.

This lecture will consider the types of early intrauterine pregnancy loss (incomplete, spontaneous, missed and septic abortions). It will address epidemiology, risk factors, pathophysiology, signs, symptoms, physical exam findings, ancillary testing, and medical and surgical management. This presentation will also consider managing pregnancy loss given current state limitations in the provision of this care.  Objectives include: 

1. Describe the epidemiology, risk factors, pathophysiology, signs, symptoms, physical exam findings, ancillary studies, and management.
2. Discuss strategies for managing pregnancy loss in circumstances in which state limitations are present.
3. Discuss disparities in care for patients needing emergency services for early intrauterine pregnancy loss.

This lecture highlights the important role of primary care providers and provide helpful information that will empower them to confidently provide comprehensive and collaborative care to patients living with breast cancer and beyond.  Objectives include: 

1. Compare and contrast the various types and stages of breast cancer, including common presentations of each.
2. Recognize some of the most common long-term effects of cancer treatment for breast cancer survivors and recommend therapeutic measures for each: Osteoporosis, Peripheral Neuropathy, Cardiotoxicity, "Chemo Brain”, Anxiety/Depression, Fatigue.
3. Review current screening and follow-up recommendations for patients with a personal history of breast cancer.
4. Recognize that hormonal contraception/hormone replacement therapy are contraindicated in women with history of hormone receptor positive breast cancer.
5. Discuss barriers to screening, treatment, and diagnosis experienced by many patients and potential ways to address these.

While insomnia and poor quality sleep can be a frustrating symptom to manage, it provides important etiological clues that the astute practitioner can use to get to the bottom of the problem – not just cover it up with sedating medication. This lecture will cover common presentations of insomnia and poor quality sleep along with their associated conditions, methods of evaluating insomnia and poor quality sleep, and strategies (both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic) for insomnia management.  Objectives include: 

1. Explain the socioeconomic burden posed by insomnia and poor quality sleep. 
2. Define sleep state misperception. 
3. Identify at least 2 medical conditions commonly associated with insomnia and poor quality sleep. 
4. Discuss methods of evaluating insomnia and poor quality sleep. 
5. Apply at least one non pharmacologic strategy in the management of insomnia and poor quality sleep.

Discuss hair loss disease.  Objectives include: 

1. Review most common hair loss disorders.
2. Describe hair anatomy.
3. Enable the learner to recognize hair loss disease (scarring and non scarring).
4. Review novel therapeis in management of hair loss disease.
5. Distinguish hair loss diseases disproportionally affecting women of African descent.

This is case based audience response discussion about 10 conditions see in the primary care office that are regularly referred to the Sports Medicine Provider. We are looking at what is appropriate for referral, what studies should be done before the referral is done.  Objectives inlcude: 

1. Identify pitfalls and pearls for common referrals to sports medicine physicians from primary care providers.
2. At the conclusion of the lecture, the  primary care providers will be able to utilize the tips on evaluating common sports medicine conditions prior to referring to sports medicine.
3. At the conclusion of the lecture, the participants will understand the ordering of radiologic and laboratory tests related to sports injuries.

Kidney disease (not just CKD) is out there and often missed in primary care. Really it is easy to catch and all we ask is that you give the kidney a thought. Using a series of real-life (MISSED!) cases, we hope to make the trip through the kidney a fun and funny trip. Enjoy the embarrassment of others! Join us as we travel through the wilds of nephrotic syndrome, nephritic disease and glomerulonephritis and all those other things you thought you would NEVER have to deal with after you graduated PA school.  Objectives inlcude:

1. Discuss the incidence of nephrotic/nephritic patients in primary care.
2. Review incidence of glomerulonephritis, how they present in office/urgent care and how they are influenced by SDOH.
3. Using true-life presentations, review each type of hidden kidney diagnosis. 

A discussion for experience clinicians on the best management of diabetes.  Objectives include: 

1. Review the mechanisms of action and clinical uses of SGLT2 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and DPP-4 inhibitors.
2. Identify the benefits and common side effects associated with SGLT2s, GLP-1s, and DPP-4s.
3. Discuss current guidelines for incorporating SGLT2s, GLP-1s, and DPP-4s into diabetes treatment plans. 
4. Discuss how factors such as socioeconomic status, access to care, and health literacy influence treatment decisions and patient outcomes. 

This lecture provides an overview of the diagnosis and management of COPD. Objectives include:

1. Describe the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and risk factors for COPD including how social determinants of health can increase risk for COPD development.
2. Identify appropriate diagnostic testing for and expected results in COPD.
3. Discuss initial maintenance pharmacotherapy for COPD based on GOLD Group as well as situations where adjunctive therapies should be considered.
4. Recognize key health maintenance recommendations for people with COPD.

The Heart Failure Society of America estimates more than 6.5 million Americans over the age of twenty have heart failure with nearly a million new cases of heart failure diagnosed annually. Primary care providers are integral to the treatment of heart failure patients. Guideline-directed medical therapies in 2024 are complex and require a strong understanding of implementing therapies and mitigating barriers to care. This session will review current medical treatments and strategies for success.  Objectives inlcude: 

1. Recall guideline-directed medical therapy for the treatment of heart failure according to the American College of Cardiology 2022 guidelines. 
2. Discuss strategies for initiation and titration of guideline-directed medical therapy.
3. Describe laboratory and radiologic studies used to assess response to therapy and disease progression.
4. Identify barriers to care and mitigation strategies for heart failure patients

I will discuss 4-5 hot ENT topics that relate to conditions that present urgently or emergently.  Objectives include: 

1. Discuss and review the clinical presentation of urgent Otolaryngology complaints.
2. Reinforce evidence-based work-up and management.
3. Identify red flag symptoms that prompt immediate referral.
4. Consider alternative treatment options for patients with financial hardship or without insurance coverage.

How to use a psychopharmacology approach to treat various substance and non-substance addictions. Included topics such as root causes of substance use disorders, support services and how undiagnosed trauma contributes.  Objectives inlcude: 

1. Recognize, identify and diagnose the root causes of substance use disorders.
2. Choose correct psychotropic medications based on correlating identified imbalances with knowledge of individual medications' mechanism of action.
3. Learn how to properly, safely, and effectively perform outpatient alcohol and benzodiazepine detoxes.
4. Identify support services and other resources to augment medication management.
5. Assess for trauma by using Adverse Childhood Events screening and demonstrate how ACE scores correlate to poor outcomes.

Discuss the etiology, clinical stages, and clinical patterns of Herpes Zoster. Summarize the management of acute infections, vaccine recommendations for preventing herpes Zoster and related complications, and review health disparities in the Herpes Zoster vaccine.  Objectives inlcude: 

1. Discuss the etiology of the Herpes Zoster.
2. Review the clinical stages and some clinical patterns of Herpes Zoster.
3. Summarize the management of acute Herpes Zoster infection. 
4. Review immunization to prevent herpes zoster and related complications and summarize the health disparities in the Herpes Zoster vaccine.

With the focus on responding appropriately to patients with histories of trauma, and the integration of behavioral health with primary care, exploring the characteristics of Trauma Informed Care and how they can improve outcomes is a natural fit. Instead of moving into diagnoses and treatment of mental disorders, this program refocuses on Social Determinants of Health, their natural consequences and ways to capitalize on those for better working conditions and potentially better outcomes.  Objectives inlcude: 

1. Recognize universal exposure to trauma.
2. Define trauma-informed medical care. 
3. Specify elements in trauma-informed medical care.
4. Specify the benefits of providing trauma- informed, trauma-responsive medical care.
5. Recognize challenges in applying TIC models in medical care.

This is a refresher course focused on the following objectives:

1. Review the contiguous leads and reciprocal changes.
2. Review basic arrhythmias.
3. Discuss STEMI and review examples.
4. Review a 10 step systematic approach to reading a 12 lead.
5. Discuss why women do worse with ACS and why.

This presentation will consider common vulvar disorders encountered in primary care (lichen simplex chronicus, lichen sclerosus, lichen planus, genitourinary syndrome of menopause, contact vulvitis and vulvar carcinoma). It will address: incidence, risk factors, pathophysiology, signs and symptoms, physical exam findings, ancillary testing, and management for each entity considered.  Objectives include:

1. Discuss the incidence, risk factors, pathophysiology, signs, symptoms, physical exam findings, ancillary testing, and management. 
2. Discuss management of refractory cases.
3. Describe the ways in which the following disparities may affect seeking care for vulvar symptoms, access to care, and decisions regarding treatment.

Review the etiology, epidemiology, typical clinical presentation, and known complications of measles. Discuss health disparities in childhood immunization and summarize the role of vaccines in preventing measles.  Objectives include: 

1. Review the etiology and epidemiology of measles.
2. Recognize the typical clinical presentations and known complications of measles.
3. Discuss health disparities in childhood immunization.
4. Summarize the role of the vaccines in the prevention of measles.