Climbing Out of Medical Debt

Scleroderma Foundation eLetter

eLetter #397

Greetings!

Additional Workshop Speakers Announced for Annual Patient Education Conference

The Foundation has announced more speakers for this year's National Patient Education Conference in San Francisco July 8 through July 10.

M. Kari Connolly, M.D., is a Professor of Dermatology and Medicine (Rheumatology) at the University of California, San Francisco. She is the Director of the Autoimmune Clinic and Co-Director of the Immunofluorescence Laboratory. Dr. Connolly's overall interest is in autoimmune skin diseases and the mechanisms by which tissue damage occurs. She is involved with a variety of research studies involving lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, scleroderma and blistering diseases. Dr. Connolly will present a workshop on "Localized Scleroderma."

Ginny Maril has a Master's in Psychology, and is currently a doctoral candidate completing her internship at Texas Woman's University in Denton, Texas. Her research focuses on understanding the psychological effects of scleroderma on patients and their caregivers. She will give presentations on "Understanding the Psychological Effects of Scleroderma" and "Caregiving: Caring for Yourself while Caring for Another."

Learn more about the conference or call us at (800) 722-HOPE (4673).

Optimizing Approaches to PAH Management

The American College of Cardiology offers a one-hour continuing medical education (CME) course on "Optimizing Approaches to Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Diagnosis and Management." This self-study learning module is for pulmonologists, nurses, cardiologists and other health care professionals.

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

Demonstrate awareness of the need for early recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of PAH and its impact on patient outcomes.
Incorporate current evidence regarding optimal PAH treatment approaches and their clinical applications into daily practice.
Describe factors critical to risk stratification and management of PAH.

For more information, visit www.cardiosource.org/Certified-Education/eLearning-and-Products/Optimizing-Approaches-to-Pulmonary-Arterial-Hypertension-Diagnosis-and-Management.aspx

Climbing Out of Medical Debt

WebMD Logo It's no secret that the cost of medical care has spun out of control. A study published in The American Journal of Medicine last year found that in 2007, 62 percent of all bankruptcies in this country were related to medical expenses. What's more, three quarters of people with medical debt had health insurance.

Find out tips to help take care of yourself and your medical debt from WebMD's Health Insurance Navigator.

Exercises for People with Pulmonary Fibrosis

Livestrong Logo Certain lifestyle changes, such as exercising, can help to increase your quality of life, improve the functioning of your lungs and reduce your overall stress levels. As exercise also can make you feel short of breath, consult your doctor prior to beginning any type of exercise program to make sure the specific exercises are appropriate for your condition.

Learn what exercises you can do if you live with pulmonary fibrosis in this article from Livestrong.

Searching for a Job with a Chronic Illness

Are you living with chronic illness and looking for a job? No doubt, chronic illness makes many things more difficult and looking for a job is rarely uplifting. Do you notice that you're feeling stale and sluggish? This might be the time to consider "sharpening" your approach.

Discover five tips that will help you during your job search from WorkingWithChronicIllness.com.

Young Investigators Awards May 17

Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc. and the ENTELLIGENCE Steering Committee cordially invite you to attend the 2011 ENTELLIGENCE™Young Investigators Award Ceremony on Tuesday, May 17. The event will be held during the American Thoracic Society meeting in Denver.

Celebrate as the following 2011 award winners are honored for their outstanding initiatives: Jana Bagarova, Ph.D.; Marco Mura, M.D., Ph.D.; Salah Najm, M.D.; and Yon K. Sung, M.D.

The awards will be passed out during a luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center, 650 15th St., Denver, CO.

Please R.S.V.P. by e-mail to Diane Brenner at dbrenner@medtelligence.net by Wednesday, May 4. Download a PDF copy of the invitation.