This year’s CHEST annual meeting will have something for every member of the pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine community—from first-time attendees to the incoming president.
“We’ve put together a phenomenal array of different types of educational sessions,” said CHEST President-Elect Doreen Addrizzo-Harris, MD, FCCP. “It’s going to be unbelievably exciting to be face-to-face in Nashville, and we certainly have expanded on what we presented at our last in-person meeting.”
CHEST Daily News asked Dr. Addrizzo-Harris and CHEST 2022 Program Committee Vice Chair Aneesa Das, MD, FCCP, to share several sessions that they were most eagerly anticipating in advance of the meeting. Take a look at their highlights, and begin building your own itinerary. The full online schedule, including filters for tracks, topic tags, and speakers, is available through the CHEST Events app.
ILD Choose Your Own Adventure
Monday, October 17
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM CT
Davidson A1
This innovative educational session on interstitial lung disease diagnosis and management is one that Dr. Das can’t wait for attendees to experience. The session will present clinical scenarios involving connective tissue disease-related ILD, systemic sclerosis-associated ILD, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The pre-recorded interactions between patients and pulmonologists will unfold in different ways depending on the choices of the audience.
“It’s like the old-school ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ books,” Dr. Das said. “The audience is going to determine the next step and the course of the patient care. It’s going to be a super fun way to make sure that you’re up to date on the latest evidence-based medicine.”
Difficult Conversations: A Scenario-based Session
Monday, October 17
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Room 208A
Dr. Addrizzo-Harris is looking forward to the many sessions focused on communication in health care. This particular session will help attendees work through some of the more challenging interpersonal scenarios they may face, including microaggressions, workplace violence, and misinformed or upset patients and caregivers.
“We’ve expanded our panel discussions on communication, and there are going to be some really vibrant sessions on these topics,” said Dr. Addrizzo-Harris. “How to become a better physician when you’re communicating with your patients is so important.”
Supply Shortages in the ICU: Solutions and Strategies
Monday, October 17
9:15 AM – 10:15 AM
Davidson A2-A3
The ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are still being felt throughout health care, which is why it’s important to prepare now before the next crisis hits, Dr. Das said. This session will review ways to mitigate shortages in key medications, blood products, and even oxygen during widespread emergencies. Several other sessions throughout the CHEST 2022 program will also explore the effects of device recalls and other supply chain disruptions.
“It’s caused a major impact on how we care for patients,” Dr. Das said. “There’s going to be a good opportunity to reflect on some of the experiences we’ve had and to build on these experiences to help us to better prepare for possible crises in the future.”
Connect with CHEST
CHEST leaders emphasized that, in addition to presenting world-class educational content, the sessions will offer an unparalleled opportunity to connect, especially after years of virtual meetings.
“It’ll be very exciting to ask questions in person and not have to put them into a chat—just ask your question to the expert faculty member who will be right there answering it for you,” Dr. Addrizzo-Harris said.
“Go to as many sessions as you can,” Dr. Das added, “and at the end of them, make a point to go up and introduce yourself to the speakers. It’s a great way to start getting involved and identify the people in your own specialty within our field. Enjoy the energy around you. Creating personal connections with colleagues is important to both our careers as well as our own mental wellness.”