“For the very first time ever, a three-hour long workshop on the Opioid Crisis in the United States will be part of the upcoming AAPI’s 36th Annual National Convention & Scientific Assembly, to be held from July 4-8, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio,†Dr. Gautam Samadder, President of American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin. This initiative of AAPI is being put together by Convention team and headed by Dr Nikesh Batra.
More than 64,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2016, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Opiates such as morphine have been used for pain relief in the United States since the 800s, and were used during the American Civil War. Devastating consequences of the opioid epidemic include increases in opioid misuse and related overdoses, as well as the rising incidence of newborns experiencing withdrawal syndrome due to opioid use and misuse during pregnancy.
In the late 1990s, pharmaceutical companies reassured the medical community that patients would not become addicted to opioid pain relievers and healthcare providers began to prescribe them at greater rates. Increased prescription of opioid medications led to widespread misuse of both prescription and non-prescription opioids before it became clear that these medications could indeed be highly addictive. An estimated 40% of opioid overdose deaths involved a prescription opioid.
“The workshop scheduled to be held on Friday July 6, 2018 9:00am - 12:00pm during the Convention is aimed at educating and creating awareness among the delegates at the convention on the growing opioid crisis, and how the physicians can play a vital role in preventing and containing the fast growing epidemic in the US,†Dr. Samadder added.
AAPI Health Care Law is a Special session introduced for the first time by Hemant Patel, where round table discussion will held between prominent lawyers, federal agencies, medical board and health care practitioner.the topics will include educating physicians about health care laws and how to take adequate precautions. This will be beneficial to AAPI members dealing with legal challenges they face in their practice.
Also, for the first time, AAPI offers Living Well: The Happiness Program for Health Care Professionals. A unique advanced Physician wellness program that is designed from the ground up by medical professionals, for medical professionals. It’s meant to provide people working in the healthcare field with an opportunity to learn simple practices and utilize them to enhance their physical, mental, spiritual, and social wellbeing.
What’s more, Living Well’s benefits stretch well beyond HCPs themselves; Living Well is designed to prevent the Burnout Syndrome (BOS) as it influences the HCPs’ performance in all fields, including patient safety. The signature technique of Sudarshan Kriya taught at the program is a time-tested evidence based practice which reduces stress, improves sleep, increases energy and well-being. The happiness program will help MDs start developing a daily self-care routine that includes yoga, breathing & meditative practices.
Attended by over 2,000 AAPI delegates and their families, the 2018 AAPI Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly offers an exciting venue to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin. Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country will convene and participate in the scholarly exchange of medical advances, to develop health policy agendas, and to encourage legislative priorities in the coming year. The AAPI convention will also offer 8-12 hours of CME credits. Scientific presentations, exhibits, and product theater presentations will highlight the newest advances in patient care, medical technology, and practice management issues across multiple medical specialties.
Dr. Naresh Parikh, President-Elect of AAPI, said, “The convention offers an exciting venue to interact with leading physicians, health professionals, academicians, and scientists of Indian origin. Physicians and healthcare professionals from across the country will convene and participate in the scholarly exchange of medical advances, to develop health policy agendas, and to encourage legislative priorities in the coming year.â€
Giving them a platform to celebrate their accomplishments, the annual convention to be attended by nearly 2,000 physicians of Indian origin, it will also provide a forum to renew their professional commitment through continuing medical educations activities. During the five-day event, attendees will engage with an impressive lineup of notable speakers and cutting edge medical and scientific information blended within a rich cultural backdrop of authentic Indian cuisine, fashion, yoga and entertainment from top Indian performers.
The convention includes CME and DME accredited courses as well as variety of panel discussions, presentations and a research competition. There are forums for AAPI Young Physicians Group (AAPI YPS) and for AAPI MSRF for medical students, residents and fellows. A nearly sold out Exhibitor Hall includes medical and pharmaceutical products, devices and equipment and medical and dental, practice-related services.â€
“The essence of AAPI is educational,†Dr. Ashok Jain, Chairman of the BOT, while describing the purpose of CMEs said. “That translates into numerous Continuing Medical Education and non-CME seminars by experts in their fields. CME will provide comprehensive and current reviews and guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of various disease states to reduce morbidity and mortality and achieve cost effective quality care outcomes. At the end of the activity, it is expected that attendees will gain an understanding of the causation, diagnosis and the best clinical practices for the management of the diverse group of diseases discussed during this program.â€
The event also includes AAPI’s Got Talent, organized by the AAPI physicians, is a chance for all registered guests of the convention to participate and compete in a talent show. It provides a chance for all registered guests of the convention to participate and compete in a talent show. “Physicians are not just about books and work. Our stress, our emotions that we learn to conceal, our tendency to imbibe life’s lessons and take it all as it comes is often channeled into artistic outlets where we let it all flow,†said Dr. Samadder. “Our talent event tagline is true to its word – passion truly meets professionalism in this event!†he added.
“AAPI Pageant, organized and supported by AAPI is more than just a title. It’s a movement for empowering women from all walks of life to achieve their dreams. This pageant promotes self-confidence, leadership, poise and public speaking skills as well as the strong presence of beautiful women in our community!†said Dr. John Johnson, Chair of the Convention Organizing Committee.
One in seven patient encounters in the United States is with a physician of Indian origin. The American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) is the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States, representing over 100,000 physicians of Indian Origin in the United States. Over 2,000 physicians, health professionals, academicians and scientists of Indian origin from across the globe will gather at the popular Convention Center, Columbus, OH from July 4-8, 2018. For more details, please visit: www.aapiusa.org
