Red Eye Rounds: Set Your Alarm, Bring Your Appetite and Inquires

After three days of education and networking at the annual conference, you might be tempted to sleep in on Sunday morning. But set the alarm, and you’ll get more than coffee and breakfast. You will hear from and talk with leading experts, and you will get exclusive insights, ideas, and solutions on the issues weighing on your mind. Choose Clinical Quandaries or Medical Direction Challenges, and be prepared to ask questions and share experiences. Then head home with best practices and pearls of wisdom you can use right away.

“I really enjoy these sessions because they are like small meetings of the mind,” says Dallas Nelson, MD, CMD, moderator for Medical Direction Challenges. “There are always others in the room who have dealt with the same issues and challenges you’re facing. There is such great energy.” Timothy Gieseke, MD, CMD, who is moderating Clinical Quandaries, agrees: “The panels are amazing; and we’re expecting fast-moving, rapid-fire exchanges with lots of great discussion. There is so much learning going on in these sessions. It will be hard to walk away without at least one great new idea or best practice.”

 “I love these discussions about the challenges that participants bring to the table. I get so many perspectives, and I always take something back home to implement,” says Meenakshi Patel, MD, MMM, CMD, a panelist for the medical direction program. “The move to value-based medicine is a paradigm shift, and we want to help people be effective change leaders. We’re dealing with many challenges, such as improving antimicrobial stewardship and addressing the opioid crisis. We have to be able to get everyone on the same page and overcome the resistance to change that we sometimes face. The diverse panel will enable participants to get answers and perspectives, no matter what question or concern they have.”

Jamal Walker, a speaker for the clinical quandaries program, is also enthusiastic. She says, “I want to be able to share my experiences and share ideas with other team members. It’s incredibly useful to hear about how we approach things differently, as well as where we have commonalities.” She adds, “These are challenging times. Our facilities are concerned about issues such as quality improvement and 5-Star ratings, with the best possible care for patients at the center. We need to work with them on these concerns.” Dr. Gieseke notes, “We are seeing more patients with a combination of obesity, diabetes, and chronic pain. Geriatrics is a team sport, and we need team interventions to address these and other challenges.”

These are audience-driven session, so Dr. Nelson urges attendees to bring any issues they’re struggling with. “Know you’re not alone. No question is too small or insignificant. There is a great deal of expertise in the room, and they are eager to help where they can,” she says. This also is a unique opportunity to find out what’s happening in other regions of the country. For instance, Dr. Nelson notes, “I’ve learned about different models of care just by listening to the questions people pose.”

Dr. Nelson urges her colleague to come out for these sessions: “You have to eat breakfast anyhow. Why not eat and learn too? Society educational programs are known for being relevant and practical, and these fit the bill and then some. It’s a great way to learn, and I’m excited to be part of it.”

Read more about the Red Eye Rounds programs here; click here to register for the annual conference. See you in Atlanta!