Newswise — Health care professionals from around the country will convene in Atlanta May 16-18 for the 2008 Minority Health Conference, an opportunity to discuss the cultural differences and conditions that impact minority populations and their associated health disparities. Strategies to improve healthcare outcomes, including efforts to boost patients' adherence to their medication regimens, will be featured.
In the United States, noncompliance to prescription medication therapy is responsible for 10% of all hospital admissions, causes 125,000 deaths, 20 million lost workdays and costs an estimated $75.6 billion annually.
The conference, which will take place in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Association of Black Hospital Pharmacists, will offer health care providers the tools necessary mitigate the growing concerns for those at highest risk for poor health.
When: May 16-18, 2008
Where: Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Georgia
Who:
Featured sessions and speakers include:
- Current Issues in Recognizing and Managing Diabetes in Minority Populations While diabetes is considered to be a national health crisis in the U.S., the burden of disease is much greater for certain minority populations. This session will review disparities in diagnosis and treatment of diabetes in minority populations, with a special emphasis on identifying patients at risk for poor outcomes. Strategies for achieving therapeutic goals through appropriate glycemic control will be reviewed. Faculty will also describe how to improve patient outcomes through increased adherence to therapy.Marisa Soto, Pharm.D., CDE, Clinical Pharmacist, El Rio Community Health Center, Pascua Yaqui reservation, Tucson, Ariz.
- Addressing Healthcare Disparities in Colorectal Cancer: Optimizing Therapeutic Outcomes in African American Patients with Advanced or Metastatic DiseaseColorectal cancer is the third most common cause of cancer death in African Americans. Advances have been made in the treatment of advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer, but disparities in access to and use of treatment must be addressed to optimize the benefit from such advances. This program will compare the mortality from and incidence, etiology, and natural history of colorectal cancer in African Americans and whites. The session will feature new clinical practice guidelines and new recommendations for screening and prevention of colorectal cancer. Susan Goodin, Pharm.D., Director, Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick.
Additional sessions include: - Overcoming Barriers to Effective Treatment of Depression in Minority Populations - Using Motivational Interviewing to Improve Treatment Adherence
To schedule an interview with a speaker, please contact Aretha Hankinson at 301.664.8671. To arrange for a complimentary press registration, contact ASHP at 301-664-8799.
The conference is planned and conducted by ASHP Advantage, a division of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, in partnership with the ABHP.
For more than 60 years, ASHP has helped pharmacists who practice in hospitals and health systems improve medication use and enhance patient safety. The Society's 30,000 members include pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who practice in inpatient, outpatient, home-care, and long-term-care settings, as well as pharmacy students. For more information about the wide array of ASHP activities and the many ways in which pharmacists help people make the best use of medicines, visit ASHP's Web site, www.ashp.org, or its consumer Web site, http://www.SafeMedication.com.
ABHP strives to represent Black and minority health-system pharmacists and is dedicated to the growth and development of their pharmacy practice in health care facilities. The association provides up-to-date educational programs on minority health issues to help members improve their professional skills and the quality of care that they provide in their area of pharmacy practice. ABHP serves as a liaison and facilitates communication with other pharmacy associations and organizations concerned with health care.
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