The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM), in conjunction with the Lifestyle Medicine Education Collaborative (LMEd), invites you to join us for a lunch briefing on "Transforming Medical Education to Prevent Chronic Disease," to be held at the Rayburn House Office Building on Capital Hill from 12:00–1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 25.
The briefing will discuss how proposed legislation like the ENRICH Act and the EAT for Health Act can facilitate a changing paradigm in the field of medical education by focusing on lifestyle medicine to address our nation's rising chronic disease rate.
CONGRESSIONAL REMARKS
Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-13)
Congressman Raúl Grijalva (AZ-3)
PANELISTS
Dr. Robert Carr, President, American College of Preventive Medicine
Dr. Jennifer Trilk, Co-Founder, Lifestyle Medicine Education Collaborative
Dr. Douglas Kamerow, Former Assistant Surgeon General
Dr. Dexter Shurney, Chief Medical Director and Executive Director of Global Health & Wellness, Cummins Inc
Please register to attend. Only about 40 seats are available.
During a recent hike in Badlands National Park in South Dakota, I was dismayed to see what looked like a tick bite on my leg. Immediately after the hike, I drove 50 miles to nearest pharmacy to pick up a prescription for antibiotics in the hopes of eliminating any risk of Lyme disease. The Wall Drug Store pharmacy was located in a town of 1,200 residents and anchored the main street.
When I picked up my prescription, something odd happened. The pharmacist made a point to come out and talk to me. He counseled me for over 7 minutes on the specific use and risk factors of the prescribed antibiotic. He asked me about my diet, sun exposure, and general lifestyle—including alcohol and calcium consumption. He was engaging, spoke in a an empathic way and looked me in the eyes. I left the pharmacy stunned and humbled, immediately recognizing what a unique experience this was.
Then something else odd happened: I actually read the patient prescription information—all 2 pages of it! I applied sunscreen more diligently. I was cognizant of taking my medication on time and avoiding any foods that would interact with it. This was the first time in my life that I paid serious attention to the medication I was taking. It was also the first time that a pharmacist had taken the time to counsel me on it.
That one 7-minute experience had a big impact on my behavior. I don't know if I'll have a similar experience at a pharmacy ant time soon, but the lifestyle medicine movement gives me hope that one day these simple, effective conversations will be commonplace.
By Dani Pere
Associate Executive Director, ACPM
Do you have a lifestyle medicine story to share with our readers?
Contact Dani Pere to include your unique insights in a future issue.
AMA's Strategies for Improving Practice Efficiency
The American Medical Association (AMA) has launched a new practice-based initiative called STEPS Forward™. Their goal is to provide physicians with strategies for improving practice efficiency to achieve a better patient experience, better population health, and lower overall costs with improved professional satisfaction. About 50 learning modules are already available covering strategies related to patient care, workflow and process, leading change, professional well-being, and technology and finance.
Senate Health Care Update
Senate Republicans have released a revised version of their legislation to reverse the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Overall, the adjustments are designed to court several uncommitted conservative Senators who want more of the ACA framework repealed. The legislation is expected to be scored next week and immediately voted on.
Notable changes include:
Allowing insurance plans that don't meet standards mandated in the ACA to be offered outside of the exchanges
Setting aside more funds to reduce the cost of premiums and fight the opioid crisis
Retaining the tax increases previously instituted to fund the ACA
Credit: Greg Nash, The Hill
DEFENDING LIFESTYLE MEDICINE
Several readers provided statements in support for lifestyle medicine and in opposition to ACA-repealing legislation. We'd like to share a couple submissions.
"I practice in rural North Carolina which has some of the worst health statistics in the nation.This dismal situation is effectively remedied with healthy lifestyle changes and I have volunteered many hours educating community members in public schools, churches, and other settings on healthy lifestyle to prevent and reverse chronic disease — with positive feedback. Legislation that weakens preventive and wellness services represents a major set-back for the health of the nation." – Brock H., North Carolina
"For America to be great, then you have to want all Americans to have the chance to be HEALTHY. This comes through preventive care and education. Since enactment of the ACA, many more people have care they need to preserve or increase their health. With the incredible increase in obesity rates and associated diseases, access to medical vigilance and education is what will make the difference — not giving everyone with income over $250,000 a tax break." – Paula H., California
The National Center for Health Statistics released the 40th Annual Report on the Health of the Nation this month. The report features long-term trends in health, health care delivery, population changes, disease rates and more from 1975–2015. Relevant to lifestyle medicine are highlights and data on the use of preventive medical care services and an updated list of the 10 leading causes of death. Lifestyle-related chronic diseases remain prominent on this list with the most significant statistics detailing the rise in the presence of childhood and adult obesity and the decline in cigarette smoking.
Australasia Lifestyle Medicine Conference and Call for Abstracts
Submissions are being accepted for oral abstract and poster presentations for the Lifestyle Medicine 2017 Australasia conference in Sidney, Australia, September 15-17. Abstracts should represent original science, research, clinical application, or public health investigations relating to one or more of the themes of the conference — "Planet Consumption" — or generally relevant to the field of lifestyle medicine. Scientists, researchers, students, medical professionals, and public health professionals are encouraged to apply. The final deadline for submissions is July 31.
The conference features a ‘how to’ multidisciplinary clinical focus designed for doctors and allied health practitioners. It combines a deep exploration of determinants and systemic issues with insights on translational research for creating an innovative and more effective practice. Dani Pere will be presenting information about the Lifestyle Medicine Core Competencies Program at the conference.
RESEARCH / NEWS
A Doctor’s View of Obamacare and Trumpcare from Rural Georgia -- Nineteen years ago, after medical school at Columbia University, a stint at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, and a period running homeless shelters in Times Square, Karen Kinsell moved to Fort Gaines, a tiny town in southwest Georgia, on the Alabama line. "It’s a bad place to live, which is why I moved here. I was looking for a place that needed me.” -- The New Yorker (Photo Karen Kinsell)
An Integrated Framework For The Prevention And Treatment Of Obesity And Its Related Chronic Diseases -- This month, a group of health organizations representing a wide range of health care providers released a set of interdisciplinary educational competencies for the prevention and treatment of obesity. Collectively, the competencies span virtually all aspects of care and establish a common basis for understanding and working with people with obesity. -- Health Affairs
Request for Proposals -- The Build Healthy Places Network is seeking proposals to carry out a broad analysis of the social and financial returns on investment generated by holistic community development projects. Frameworks drawn from the analysis are intended to serve as a basis for calculating the costs and impact of integrated neighborhood interventions and as a general tool for community development professionals to communicate the value of such programs to policymakers and investors. The opportunity is entitled ‘Making the Business Case for Community Development: An Economic Analysis of Cost Savings and Societal Returns from Community Development Investments’ and the deadline for proposals is July 14 at 12:00 p.m. PDT. -- Build Healthy Places Network
Join ACPM and LMEd for for a discussion of how legislation like the ENRICH Act and the EAT for Health Act can facilitate a changing paradigm in the field of medical education by focusing on lifestyle medicine to address our nation's rising chronic disease rate. Please register to attend. Only about 40 seats are available!
The CHEF Coaching Culinary Medicine program from the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine offers a remote professional training designed to expand your professional skills. Would you like to cook more delicious food in less time? Are you interested in learning how to empower clients to make more home-cooked food, thus improving their health? Learn more about this exiting Culinary Medicine method by joining us for a free introduction session followed by Q&A with Rani Polak, MD, chef, on Tuesday, July 18 at 10am (EDT) or Thursday, August 10 at 8pm (EDT).
Half of people with obesity report they have never had a conversation about their weight with a healthcare professional (HCP), and only 4 in 10 patients say they have been counseled about their weight by a HCP. To address this shortfall, the National Obesity Care Week aims to advance an evidence-based understanding of obesity and widespread access to respectful, comprehensive and appropriate care.
