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From the President: Expanding our educational reach
CHEST Congress Thailand concluded in Bangkok last month with more than 1,000 attendees from 56 countries. Attendees heard experts speak on several clinical tracks, including lung cancer, severe airway disease, pulmonary infections, interventional pulmonary management, and sleep-related disordered breathing. Panel discussions were held covering controversial topics across pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine, and close to 400 submitted abstracts were presented. Registration continues to build for the next CHEST international meeting to be held in conjunction with the Hellenic Thoracic Society in Athens, Greece, June 25-27. This meeting will feature clinicians and academicians providing relevant clinical updates to providers throughout that region in more of a “board review-like” format.
Why is it so important that CHEST spread its brand of education to an international audience?
Clinicians are yearning for up-to-date information regardless of geography
Having the opportunity to visit with clinicians from Southeast Asia and Australia, it became clear to me that there is a need for high quality educational opportunities to be shared across the globe. Many attendees in Bangkok had never had the opportunity to attend a CHEST annual meeting within North America; their exposure to state-of-the-art reviews using interactive audience participation was a format that was clearly appreciated. Hands-on educational opportunities through simulation, as well as novel interactive tools such as serious gaming, were modalities not previously available to many attendees and the reviews received were overwhelmingly positive.
Access to cutting-edge training in certain areas in the world has become more limited
Resources for international travel have become more limited. Industry sponsorship in certain regions has dwindled and, for certain countries, the ability to access medical meetings within the United States or other areas in Europe or North America has become burdensome, if not logistically impossible. Bringing the CHEST brand of education to members and other practicing providers outside North America within the represented specialties has allowed access to experts and the most effective formats for education without extended travel and excess cost.
Smaller international meetings allow for more tailored curricula designed to meet local needs
The ability to build the curriculum around specific requests of a national society has allowed for a more focused educational platform designed to meet the needs of what regional leaders feel is the most critical for the highest prevalence of patients seen in that specific area. The international strategy of CHEST calls for an annual congress outside of North America and at least one smaller “board review-type” meeting in a different region elsewhere across the world each academic year. Co-hosting more meetings will not only help address unmet educational needs outside of the United States and Canada but also extend our reach to participants who may not have otherwise had the ability to participate in the CHEST brand of education. During multiple sessions, there were literally dozens of questions for which there was time to address each in real time. The panel discussions were lively, well-moderated, and also stimulated multiple questions and comments from the audience.
Education by podium lecture is fast becoming outdated
Although a compelling lecture using a didactic format from a podium at the front of a room is not going to be replaced completely any time soon, educational delivery trends are moving toward virtual classrooms, use of simulation, problem solving online, serious gaming, and hands-on experiential education. As an innovator and leader in medical education, CHEST will continue to provide a variety of options for delivering education utilizing a variety of platforms. By opening a multimedia production studio at CHEST global headquarters in Glenview, Illinois, this past February, the organization is positioning itself to continue to refine its ability to produce and distribute a variety of courses available to all CHEST members in an archivable, easily accessible format. The Board of Regents has doubled down on its digital strategy toward improving communication across the entire user experience, and offering courses to our international members closer to home is one way to execute this strategy.
Networking and new friendships underscore what’s important
Meeting new colleagues from across the globe has made me realize that we are all focused on providing the very best care possible to our patients every day. Ultimately, education is communication. The ability to share how CHEST educates its membership will improve patient care worldwide and foster lifelong friendships with those we meet in other lands. Those opportunities to share ideas on health-care delivery will keep us on the cutting edge technologically and keep us focused on how to use resources responsibly and in a way that best serves the communities where we practice.
CHEST Congress Thailand concluded in Bangkok last month with more than 1,000 attendees from 56 countries. Attendees heard experts speak on several clinical tracks, including lung cancer, severe airway disease, pulmonary infections, interventional pulmonary management, and sleep-related disordered breathing. Panel discussions were held covering controversial topics across pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine, and close to 400 submitted abstracts were presented. Registration continues to build for the next CHEST international meeting to be held in conjunction with the Hellenic Thoracic Society in Athens, Greece, June 25-27. This meeting will feature clinicians and academicians providing relevant clinical updates to providers throughout that region in more of a “board review-like” format.
Why is it so important that CHEST spread its brand of education to an international audience?
Clinicians are yearning for up-to-date information regardless of geography
Having the opportunity to visit with clinicians from Southeast Asia and Australia, it became clear to me that there is a need for high quality educational opportunities to be shared across the globe. Many attendees in Bangkok had never had the opportunity to attend a CHEST annual meeting within North America; their exposure to state-of-the-art reviews using interactive audience participation was a format that was clearly appreciated. Hands-on educational opportunities through simulation, as well as novel interactive tools such as serious gaming, were modalities not previously available to many attendees and the reviews received were overwhelmingly positive.
Access to cutting-edge training in certain areas in the world has become more limited
Resources for international travel have become more limited. Industry sponsorship in certain regions has dwindled and, for certain countries, the ability to access medical meetings within the United States or other areas in Europe or North America has become burdensome, if not logistically impossible. Bringing the CHEST brand of education to members and other practicing providers outside North America within the represented specialties has allowed access to experts and the most effective formats for education without extended travel and excess cost.
Smaller international meetings allow for more tailored curricula designed to meet local needs
The ability to build the curriculum around specific requests of a national society has allowed for a more focused educational platform designed to meet the needs of what regional leaders feel is the most critical for the highest prevalence of patients seen in that specific area. The international strategy of CHEST calls for an annual congress outside of North America and at least one smaller “board review-type” meeting in a different region elsewhere across the world each academic year. Co-hosting more meetings will not only help address unmet educational needs outside of the United States and Canada but also extend our reach to participants who may not have otherwise had the ability to participate in the CHEST brand of education. During multiple sessions, there were literally dozens of questions for which there was time to address each in real time. The panel discussions were lively, well-moderated, and also stimulated multiple questions and comments from the audience.
Education by podium lecture is fast becoming outdated
Although a compelling lecture using a didactic format from a podium at the front of a room is not going to be replaced completely any time soon, educational delivery trends are moving toward virtual classrooms, use of simulation, problem solving online, serious gaming, and hands-on experiential education. As an innovator and leader in medical education, CHEST will continue to provide a variety of options for delivering education utilizing a variety of platforms. By opening a multimedia production studio at CHEST global headquarters in Glenview, Illinois, this past February, the organization is positioning itself to continue to refine its ability to produce and distribute a variety of courses available to all CHEST members in an archivable, easily accessible format. The Board of Regents has doubled down on its digital strategy toward improving communication across the entire user experience, and offering courses to our international members closer to home is one way to execute this strategy.
Networking and new friendships underscore what’s important
Meeting new colleagues from across the globe has made me realize that we are all focused on providing the very best care possible to our patients every day. Ultimately, education is communication. The ability to share how CHEST educates its membership will improve patient care worldwide and foster lifelong friendships with those we meet in other lands. Those opportunities to share ideas on health-care delivery will keep us on the cutting edge technologically and keep us focused on how to use resources responsibly and in a way that best serves the communities where we practice.
CHEST Congress Thailand concluded in Bangkok last month with more than 1,000 attendees from 56 countries. Attendees heard experts speak on several clinical tracks, including lung cancer, severe airway disease, pulmonary infections, interventional pulmonary management, and sleep-related disordered breathing. Panel discussions were held covering controversial topics across pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine, and close to 400 submitted abstracts were presented. Registration continues to build for the next CHEST international meeting to be held in conjunction with the Hellenic Thoracic Society in Athens, Greece, June 25-27. This meeting will feature clinicians and academicians providing relevant clinical updates to providers throughout that region in more of a “board review-like” format.
Why is it so important that CHEST spread its brand of education to an international audience?
Clinicians are yearning for up-to-date information regardless of geography
Having the opportunity to visit with clinicians from Southeast Asia and Australia, it became clear to me that there is a need for high quality educational opportunities to be shared across the globe. Many attendees in Bangkok had never had the opportunity to attend a CHEST annual meeting within North America; their exposure to state-of-the-art reviews using interactive audience participation was a format that was clearly appreciated. Hands-on educational opportunities through simulation, as well as novel interactive tools such as serious gaming, were modalities not previously available to many attendees and the reviews received were overwhelmingly positive.
Access to cutting-edge training in certain areas in the world has become more limited
Resources for international travel have become more limited. Industry sponsorship in certain regions has dwindled and, for certain countries, the ability to access medical meetings within the United States or other areas in Europe or North America has become burdensome, if not logistically impossible. Bringing the CHEST brand of education to members and other practicing providers outside North America within the represented specialties has allowed access to experts and the most effective formats for education without extended travel and excess cost.
Smaller international meetings allow for more tailored curricula designed to meet local needs
The ability to build the curriculum around specific requests of a national society has allowed for a more focused educational platform designed to meet the needs of what regional leaders feel is the most critical for the highest prevalence of patients seen in that specific area. The international strategy of CHEST calls for an annual congress outside of North America and at least one smaller “board review-type” meeting in a different region elsewhere across the world each academic year. Co-hosting more meetings will not only help address unmet educational needs outside of the United States and Canada but also extend our reach to participants who may not have otherwise had the ability to participate in the CHEST brand of education. During multiple sessions, there were literally dozens of questions for which there was time to address each in real time. The panel discussions were lively, well-moderated, and also stimulated multiple questions and comments from the audience.
Education by podium lecture is fast becoming outdated
Although a compelling lecture using a didactic format from a podium at the front of a room is not going to be replaced completely any time soon, educational delivery trends are moving toward virtual classrooms, use of simulation, problem solving online, serious gaming, and hands-on experiential education. As an innovator and leader in medical education, CHEST will continue to provide a variety of options for delivering education utilizing a variety of platforms. By opening a multimedia production studio at CHEST global headquarters in Glenview, Illinois, this past February, the organization is positioning itself to continue to refine its ability to produce and distribute a variety of courses available to all CHEST members in an archivable, easily accessible format. The Board of Regents has doubled down on its digital strategy toward improving communication across the entire user experience, and offering courses to our international members closer to home is one way to execute this strategy.
Networking and new friendships underscore what’s important
Meeting new colleagues from across the globe has made me realize that we are all focused on providing the very best care possible to our patients every day. Ultimately, education is communication. The ability to share how CHEST educates its membership will improve patient care worldwide and foster lifelong friendships with those we meet in other lands. Those opportunities to share ideas on health-care delivery will keep us on the cutting edge technologically and keep us focused on how to use resources responsibly and in a way that best serves the communities where we practice.
CHEST 2019 and southern culture
Get a glimpse of the rich southern culture of New Orleans this October by checking out a few of these locations and events.
Visit a Mini Museum – Backstreet Cultural Museum
The Backstreet Cultural Museum is located in a small, former funeral home in the historic Treme neighborhood. The museum displays the permanent collection of Mardi Gras Indians costumes, second-line parade outfits, jazz funeral photos, and music memorabilia from curator Sylvester Francis. Interested in upcoming parades and festivals happening nearly every weekend in New Orleans? Learn about these at the museum, as well as more NOLA arts and traditions.
View the Local Art in Jackson Square
Jackson Square is an area where you’ll see tarot readers, street performers, and artists. It has an open-air artist community where their works are hung on the iron railings around the square. Spend time getting your portrait done, buy a new art piece from a local, or have fun watching a street performance.
Enjoy the architecture of the French Quarter
Explore New Orleans’ oldest neighborhood, The French Quarter, with its mix of French Creole and Spanish influenced architecture. You’ll find hints of this on old tiled street names and the French Fleur de Lys emblem noticeable all around the city. There are also Caribbean, African, and other European influences throughout the area. Take in the gorgeous mansions, the colorful Creole houses with their porches and swing chairs, the townhouses with beautiful ironwork balconies, and more!
Head to Oktoberfest
New Orleans also has a rich German history. You can celebrate this October with the city’s own version of Oktoberfest, which takes place the first three weekends in the month. Experience some of the best of German culture by drinking a rare beer, trying authentic cuisine, and listening to live music during this celebration.
New Orleans Film Festival
From October 16-24, the New Orleans Film Society will be hosting the 2019 New Orleans Film Festival (NOFF). You can check out showings in different venues throughout the city. Local filmmakers are showcased during the festival, and their films and any shown during NOFF can qualify for the Oscars in all three Academy-accredited categories: Narrative Short, Documentary Short, and Animated Short.
Check out more things you can do in NOLA (https://tinyurl.com/yxnqswv5).
Get a glimpse of the rich southern culture of New Orleans this October by checking out a few of these locations and events.
Visit a Mini Museum – Backstreet Cultural Museum
The Backstreet Cultural Museum is located in a small, former funeral home in the historic Treme neighborhood. The museum displays the permanent collection of Mardi Gras Indians costumes, second-line parade outfits, jazz funeral photos, and music memorabilia from curator Sylvester Francis. Interested in upcoming parades and festivals happening nearly every weekend in New Orleans? Learn about these at the museum, as well as more NOLA arts and traditions.
View the Local Art in Jackson Square
Jackson Square is an area where you’ll see tarot readers, street performers, and artists. It has an open-air artist community where their works are hung on the iron railings around the square. Spend time getting your portrait done, buy a new art piece from a local, or have fun watching a street performance.
Enjoy the architecture of the French Quarter
Explore New Orleans’ oldest neighborhood, The French Quarter, with its mix of French Creole and Spanish influenced architecture. You’ll find hints of this on old tiled street names and the French Fleur de Lys emblem noticeable all around the city. There are also Caribbean, African, and other European influences throughout the area. Take in the gorgeous mansions, the colorful Creole houses with their porches and swing chairs, the townhouses with beautiful ironwork balconies, and more!
Head to Oktoberfest
New Orleans also has a rich German history. You can celebrate this October with the city’s own version of Oktoberfest, which takes place the first three weekends in the month. Experience some of the best of German culture by drinking a rare beer, trying authentic cuisine, and listening to live music during this celebration.
New Orleans Film Festival
From October 16-24, the New Orleans Film Society will be hosting the 2019 New Orleans Film Festival (NOFF). You can check out showings in different venues throughout the city. Local filmmakers are showcased during the festival, and their films and any shown during NOFF can qualify for the Oscars in all three Academy-accredited categories: Narrative Short, Documentary Short, and Animated Short.
Check out more things you can do in NOLA (https://tinyurl.com/yxnqswv5).
Get a glimpse of the rich southern culture of New Orleans this October by checking out a few of these locations and events.
Visit a Mini Museum – Backstreet Cultural Museum
The Backstreet Cultural Museum is located in a small, former funeral home in the historic Treme neighborhood. The museum displays the permanent collection of Mardi Gras Indians costumes, second-line parade outfits, jazz funeral photos, and music memorabilia from curator Sylvester Francis. Interested in upcoming parades and festivals happening nearly every weekend in New Orleans? Learn about these at the museum, as well as more NOLA arts and traditions.
View the Local Art in Jackson Square
Jackson Square is an area where you’ll see tarot readers, street performers, and artists. It has an open-air artist community where their works are hung on the iron railings around the square. Spend time getting your portrait done, buy a new art piece from a local, or have fun watching a street performance.
Enjoy the architecture of the French Quarter
Explore New Orleans’ oldest neighborhood, The French Quarter, with its mix of French Creole and Spanish influenced architecture. You’ll find hints of this on old tiled street names and the French Fleur de Lys emblem noticeable all around the city. There are also Caribbean, African, and other European influences throughout the area. Take in the gorgeous mansions, the colorful Creole houses with their porches and swing chairs, the townhouses with beautiful ironwork balconies, and more!
Head to Oktoberfest
New Orleans also has a rich German history. You can celebrate this October with the city’s own version of Oktoberfest, which takes place the first three weekends in the month. Experience some of the best of German culture by drinking a rare beer, trying authentic cuisine, and listening to live music during this celebration.
New Orleans Film Festival
From October 16-24, the New Orleans Film Society will be hosting the 2019 New Orleans Film Festival (NOFF). You can check out showings in different venues throughout the city. Local filmmakers are showcased during the festival, and their films and any shown during NOFF can qualify for the Oscars in all three Academy-accredited categories: Narrative Short, Documentary Short, and Animated Short.
Check out more things you can do in NOLA (https://tinyurl.com/yxnqswv5).
This month in the journal CHEST®
Editor’s Picks
By Richard S. Irwin, MD, Master FCCP
Giants in Chest Medicine
John Heffner, MD, FCCP
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
The Landscape of US Lung Cancer Screening Services-Figure 1By M. S. Kale, et al.
Systemic Markers of Inflammation in Smokers With Symptoms Despite Preserved
Spirometry in SPIROMICSBy S. Garudadri, et al.Prevalence of Atrial Fibrillation in Hospital Encounters With End-Stage COPD on
Home Oxygen:
National Trends in the United States
By X. Xiao, et al.
Editor’s Picks
By Richard S. Irwin, MD, Master FCCP
Giants in Chest Medicine
John Heffner, MD, FCCP
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
The Landscape of US Lung Cancer Screening Services-Figure 1By M. S. Kale, et al.
Systemic Markers of Inflammation in Smokers With Symptoms Despite Preserved
Spirometry in SPIROMICSBy S. Garudadri, et al.Prevalence of Atrial Fibrillation in Hospital Encounters With End-Stage COPD on
Home Oxygen:
National Trends in the United States
By X. Xiao, et al.
Editor’s Picks
By Richard S. Irwin, MD, Master FCCP
Giants in Chest Medicine
John Heffner, MD, FCCP
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
The Landscape of US Lung Cancer Screening Services-Figure 1By M. S. Kale, et al.
Systemic Markers of Inflammation in Smokers With Symptoms Despite Preserved
Spirometry in SPIROMICSBy S. Garudadri, et al.Prevalence of Atrial Fibrillation in Hospital Encounters With End-Stage COPD on
Home Oxygen:
National Trends in the United States
By X. Xiao, et al.
This month in the journal CHEST®
Editor’s Picks
Richard S. Irwin, MD, Master FCCP
Giants in Chest Medicine
David C. Zavala, MD, FCCP
Original Research
Accuracy of Algorithms to Identify Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Administrative Data:
A Systematic Review. By K. R. Gillmeyer, et al.
Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis: Radiologic Phenotypes Are Associated With Distinct Survival
Time and Pulmonary Function Trajectory. By M. L. Salisbury, et al.
The Effects of Long-term CPAP on Weight Change in Patients With Comorbid OSA and
Cardiovascular Disease: Data From the SAVE Trial. By Q. Ou, et al, on behalf of the SAVE investigators.
Editor’s Picks
Richard S. Irwin, MD, Master FCCP
Giants in Chest Medicine
David C. Zavala, MD, FCCP
Original Research
Accuracy of Algorithms to Identify Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Administrative Data:
A Systematic Review. By K. R. Gillmeyer, et al.
Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis: Radiologic Phenotypes Are Associated With Distinct Survival
Time and Pulmonary Function Trajectory. By M. L. Salisbury, et al.
The Effects of Long-term CPAP on Weight Change in Patients With Comorbid OSA and
Cardiovascular Disease: Data From the SAVE Trial. By Q. Ou, et al, on behalf of the SAVE investigators.
Editor’s Picks
Richard S. Irwin, MD, Master FCCP
Giants in Chest Medicine
David C. Zavala, MD, FCCP
Original Research
Accuracy of Algorithms to Identify Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Administrative Data:
A Systematic Review. By K. R. Gillmeyer, et al.
Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis: Radiologic Phenotypes Are Associated With Distinct Survival
Time and Pulmonary Function Trajectory. By M. L. Salisbury, et al.
The Effects of Long-term CPAP on Weight Change in Patients With Comorbid OSA and
Cardiovascular Disease: Data From the SAVE Trial. By Q. Ou, et al, on behalf of the SAVE investigators.
Updates from your CHEST Board of Regents
In late January, your Board of Regents met for its first face-to-face quarterly meeting under the leadership of new President Clayton Cowl, MD, MS, FCCP. One of the most valuable aspects of serving on the Board is an opportunity to take an overall look at the direction of the organization. The Board makes a concerted effort not to get too deep into the weeds planning out specific tactics for achieving goals; we have a great many outstanding volunteers serving on dozens of our committees who do an incredible job of making things happen. The Board tries to focus on overall organizational strategy. Are we going in the right direction? Are there opportunities of which we should be taking better advantage? Are there efforts in which we are currently engaged that may not be yielding outcomes as we expected? To better answer these questions, Dr. Cowl and his team asked all members of the Board of Regents and the Strategic Planning Subcommittee members of the Foundation Board of Trustees, as well as senior CHEST staff, to engage in an environmental scan to take an aggressive look at where we are and where we are headed. The output from our first environmental scan is currently being curated into a list of highest priority items that will be shared with the general membership in the coming months.
A review of our accomplishments over the last 6 months came next. Our new Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Robert Musacchio, has superseded all expectations in his first few months in the role. In addition to continuing to push the organization toward the “One CHEST” model by better integrating the Foundation with the College, as well as refining our operating principles in working with industry, Bob is further developing our international reach—exploring collaborations with a number of large international societies and planning meetings abroad later this year (CHEST Congress Thailand and CHEST Regional Congress Athens) and into the next (in Italy, with the regional meeting location to be determined). We are also in the process of recruiting for a new position, Chief Learning Officer, a role that will serve not only to better organize the educational activities of CHEST, but to also serve as a visionary to better imagine what future projects we should be pursuing to be of better service and value to our members.
We took a few moments to recognize the new, incoming Editor in Chief of the journal CHEST®; Peter Mazzone, MD, FCCP, will have some huge shoes to fill in taking the editor’s chair from Richard Irwin, MD, Master FCCP, who has served the journal in this role for more than a decade. Under Dr. Irwin’s leadership, CHEST has been the most-read publication amongst practicing pulmonary specialists; he is also responsible for having launched CHEST’s social media presence, including both video series that integrated directly with the journal (such as Ultrasound Corner) and podcasts. Richard also spoke beautifully about his passion for patient-centered care as a keynote speaker at CHEST 2018. Peter has outlined a number of different areas of focus for the journal in the next year, including putting a high priority on improving the reader experience and crafting an even better web and multimedia presence. We look forward to great things from the journal!
Chris Carroll, MD, FCCP, who chairs CHEST’s Digital Strategy Task Force, presented to the Board on their progress to date. The goal of this group is to evaluate the user experience for CHEST’s content delivery platforms, including the website, apps, and our social media platforms to identify opportunities for improvements that will enable us to better provide our members with on demand, high quality information to improve patient care through a personalized, seamless digital user experience. The team is being co-led by Nicki Augustyn, Senior Vice President for Marketing, Communications, and Publishing, and Ron Moen, Chief Information Officer. We look forward to further updates on this important project.
As I stated in my opening, many of the good things that CHEST does can only happen with the participation of our great members, and so I want to take the time to recognize the NetWorks and everything that they do for the College. In the past year, under the leadership of Council of NetWorks Chairs Hassan Bencheqroun, MD, FCCP, and David Zielinski, MD, FCCP, the NetWorks produced more than 60% of the content at the 2018 CHEST meeting and are actively working on projects ranging from creating educational videos for public consumption to CHEST guidelines proposals and crafting a donor registry for lung transplantation. Our volunteer leaders are our most valuable resource; if you are not currently engaged in the NetWorks, please consider getting involved this spring during the nomination process!
It remains a privilege for the Board to serve this great organization. If you are interested in hearing more, or getting more engaged, please send me an email at [email protected].
David A. Schulman, MD, FCCP
In late January, your Board of Regents met for its first face-to-face quarterly meeting under the leadership of new President Clayton Cowl, MD, MS, FCCP. One of the most valuable aspects of serving on the Board is an opportunity to take an overall look at the direction of the organization. The Board makes a concerted effort not to get too deep into the weeds planning out specific tactics for achieving goals; we have a great many outstanding volunteers serving on dozens of our committees who do an incredible job of making things happen. The Board tries to focus on overall organizational strategy. Are we going in the right direction? Are there opportunities of which we should be taking better advantage? Are there efforts in which we are currently engaged that may not be yielding outcomes as we expected? To better answer these questions, Dr. Cowl and his team asked all members of the Board of Regents and the Strategic Planning Subcommittee members of the Foundation Board of Trustees, as well as senior CHEST staff, to engage in an environmental scan to take an aggressive look at where we are and where we are headed. The output from our first environmental scan is currently being curated into a list of highest priority items that will be shared with the general membership in the coming months.
A review of our accomplishments over the last 6 months came next. Our new Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Robert Musacchio, has superseded all expectations in his first few months in the role. In addition to continuing to push the organization toward the “One CHEST” model by better integrating the Foundation with the College, as well as refining our operating principles in working with industry, Bob is further developing our international reach—exploring collaborations with a number of large international societies and planning meetings abroad later this year (CHEST Congress Thailand and CHEST Regional Congress Athens) and into the next (in Italy, with the regional meeting location to be determined). We are also in the process of recruiting for a new position, Chief Learning Officer, a role that will serve not only to better organize the educational activities of CHEST, but to also serve as a visionary to better imagine what future projects we should be pursuing to be of better service and value to our members.
We took a few moments to recognize the new, incoming Editor in Chief of the journal CHEST®; Peter Mazzone, MD, FCCP, will have some huge shoes to fill in taking the editor’s chair from Richard Irwin, MD, Master FCCP, who has served the journal in this role for more than a decade. Under Dr. Irwin’s leadership, CHEST has been the most-read publication amongst practicing pulmonary specialists; he is also responsible for having launched CHEST’s social media presence, including both video series that integrated directly with the journal (such as Ultrasound Corner) and podcasts. Richard also spoke beautifully about his passion for patient-centered care as a keynote speaker at CHEST 2018. Peter has outlined a number of different areas of focus for the journal in the next year, including putting a high priority on improving the reader experience and crafting an even better web and multimedia presence. We look forward to great things from the journal!
Chris Carroll, MD, FCCP, who chairs CHEST’s Digital Strategy Task Force, presented to the Board on their progress to date. The goal of this group is to evaluate the user experience for CHEST’s content delivery platforms, including the website, apps, and our social media platforms to identify opportunities for improvements that will enable us to better provide our members with on demand, high quality information to improve patient care through a personalized, seamless digital user experience. The team is being co-led by Nicki Augustyn, Senior Vice President for Marketing, Communications, and Publishing, and Ron Moen, Chief Information Officer. We look forward to further updates on this important project.
As I stated in my opening, many of the good things that CHEST does can only happen with the participation of our great members, and so I want to take the time to recognize the NetWorks and everything that they do for the College. In the past year, under the leadership of Council of NetWorks Chairs Hassan Bencheqroun, MD, FCCP, and David Zielinski, MD, FCCP, the NetWorks produced more than 60% of the content at the 2018 CHEST meeting and are actively working on projects ranging from creating educational videos for public consumption to CHEST guidelines proposals and crafting a donor registry for lung transplantation. Our volunteer leaders are our most valuable resource; if you are not currently engaged in the NetWorks, please consider getting involved this spring during the nomination process!
It remains a privilege for the Board to serve this great organization. If you are interested in hearing more, or getting more engaged, please send me an email at [email protected].
David A. Schulman, MD, FCCP
In late January, your Board of Regents met for its first face-to-face quarterly meeting under the leadership of new President Clayton Cowl, MD, MS, FCCP. One of the most valuable aspects of serving on the Board is an opportunity to take an overall look at the direction of the organization. The Board makes a concerted effort not to get too deep into the weeds planning out specific tactics for achieving goals; we have a great many outstanding volunteers serving on dozens of our committees who do an incredible job of making things happen. The Board tries to focus on overall organizational strategy. Are we going in the right direction? Are there opportunities of which we should be taking better advantage? Are there efforts in which we are currently engaged that may not be yielding outcomes as we expected? To better answer these questions, Dr. Cowl and his team asked all members of the Board of Regents and the Strategic Planning Subcommittee members of the Foundation Board of Trustees, as well as senior CHEST staff, to engage in an environmental scan to take an aggressive look at where we are and where we are headed. The output from our first environmental scan is currently being curated into a list of highest priority items that will be shared with the general membership in the coming months.
A review of our accomplishments over the last 6 months came next. Our new Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Robert Musacchio, has superseded all expectations in his first few months in the role. In addition to continuing to push the organization toward the “One CHEST” model by better integrating the Foundation with the College, as well as refining our operating principles in working with industry, Bob is further developing our international reach—exploring collaborations with a number of large international societies and planning meetings abroad later this year (CHEST Congress Thailand and CHEST Regional Congress Athens) and into the next (in Italy, with the regional meeting location to be determined). We are also in the process of recruiting for a new position, Chief Learning Officer, a role that will serve not only to better organize the educational activities of CHEST, but to also serve as a visionary to better imagine what future projects we should be pursuing to be of better service and value to our members.
We took a few moments to recognize the new, incoming Editor in Chief of the journal CHEST®; Peter Mazzone, MD, FCCP, will have some huge shoes to fill in taking the editor’s chair from Richard Irwin, MD, Master FCCP, who has served the journal in this role for more than a decade. Under Dr. Irwin’s leadership, CHEST has been the most-read publication amongst practicing pulmonary specialists; he is also responsible for having launched CHEST’s social media presence, including both video series that integrated directly with the journal (such as Ultrasound Corner) and podcasts. Richard also spoke beautifully about his passion for patient-centered care as a keynote speaker at CHEST 2018. Peter has outlined a number of different areas of focus for the journal in the next year, including putting a high priority on improving the reader experience and crafting an even better web and multimedia presence. We look forward to great things from the journal!
Chris Carroll, MD, FCCP, who chairs CHEST’s Digital Strategy Task Force, presented to the Board on their progress to date. The goal of this group is to evaluate the user experience for CHEST’s content delivery platforms, including the website, apps, and our social media platforms to identify opportunities for improvements that will enable us to better provide our members with on demand, high quality information to improve patient care through a personalized, seamless digital user experience. The team is being co-led by Nicki Augustyn, Senior Vice President for Marketing, Communications, and Publishing, and Ron Moen, Chief Information Officer. We look forward to further updates on this important project.
As I stated in my opening, many of the good things that CHEST does can only happen with the participation of our great members, and so I want to take the time to recognize the NetWorks and everything that they do for the College. In the past year, under the leadership of Council of NetWorks Chairs Hassan Bencheqroun, MD, FCCP, and David Zielinski, MD, FCCP, the NetWorks produced more than 60% of the content at the 2018 CHEST meeting and are actively working on projects ranging from creating educational videos for public consumption to CHEST guidelines proposals and crafting a donor registry for lung transplantation. Our volunteer leaders are our most valuable resource; if you are not currently engaged in the NetWorks, please consider getting involved this spring during the nomination process!
It remains a privilege for the Board to serve this great organization. If you are interested in hearing more, or getting more engaged, please send me an email at [email protected].
David A. Schulman, MD, FCCP
Black lung. Choosing the right words. Low-tidal volume. Recent key OSA articles
Occupational and Environmental Health
Black lung disease in the 21st century
Inhalation and deposition of coal dust particles cause a range of lung injury from coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP) to dust-related diffuse fibrosis to COPD. Despite workplace standards and improved environmental controls to limit dust exposure within coal mines, incidence of “black lung disease” in the United States has increased since the turn of the century (Antao VC, et al. Occup Environ Med. 2005;62[10]:670). Coal miners working in the Appalachian Mountains have been particularly vulnerable to developing rapidly progressive and severe pneumoconiosis. In 2018, three black lung clinics in central Appalachia uncovered the largest cluster of progressive massive fibrosis (PMF) ever reported (Blackley DJ, et al. JAMA. 2018;319[5]:500). An investigation by National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) program Frontline identified more than 2,000 Appalachian coal miners suffering with PMF from 2011 to 2016, while only 99 cases of PMF were identified by the current federal monitoring program during the same period (https://goo.gl/ZJXp1W). Only about one-third of coal miners may participate in screening for black lung disease, and lack of participation could result from barriers such as fear of retaliation from employers (Siddons A. CQ-Roll Call, Inc. March 1, 2019; https://goo.gl/5mfVFvl). Ongoing research is studying factors leading to the resurgence in CWP. Increasing silica content in coal dust is a likely culprit that has escaped mine safety regulations. Given the rising incidence and the increasing morbidity and mortality of black lung disease, there is a need to educate and engage pulmonologists and others to improve surveillance and early recognition of the spectrum of coal-dust-related lung diseases to decrease morbidity and mortality among this vulnerable occupational group.
Drew Harris, MD
Amy Ahasic, MD, MPH, FCCP
Steering Committee Members
Palliative and End-of-Life Care
Importance of language and word choice when discussing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
Words matter. Whether spoken or written, the words we choose when communicating with each other are fundamentally important, both by intention of the originator and the understanding of the audience, whether or not the meaning is imparted faithfully.
In medicine, we identify patients with their illness, “the septic patient,” or category, “the terminal patient” or “the DNR patient” (Altillio, et al. AAHPM Quarterly. 2013;14-18). We escape responsibility for adequate communication by adopting a language filled with anatomic and pharmaceutical references where we blame patients for their disease process, eg, “the patient failed extubation” or “the patient is noncompliant.” We tend to resort to medical jargon or terror language in order to achieve the desired outcome. Never is this more evident than when discussing code status. In the ICU, when one hopes to “get the DNR,” it is not uncommon to hear the phrase, “If your heart stops, we would have to break all of your ribs, and that would be torture.” While the data are clear on harmful effects of CPR, and its general lack of success for people with a serious illness (Dunham, et al. Eur Radiol. 2018;28[10]:4122), it is unnecessary to use threatening language in our communication.
Compassionate care begins and ends with effective communication. The Palliative and End of Life Care NetWork supports making better word choices. We encourage framing end-of-life care around what will continue to work to help support the patient and not doing things that we know do not work. “We will do everything to help manage his/her breathing and heart rate, and when his/her heart stops, we will allow him/her to die naturally” (Curtis, et al. Intensive Care Med. 2014;40:606).
Benjamin Moses, MD
Anne Kelemen, LICSW
Steering Committee Members
Respiratory Care
Low-tidal volume ventilation
Respir CMechanical ventilation in postoperative (post-op) patients is essential in care because it can determine the patient’s overall outcome, especially in post-op cardiovascular surgery patients. The risks of hemodynamic instability and consideration of total body organ function make choosing the correct strategy of mechanical ventilation vital (Ball, et al. Crit Care. 2016;22[4]:386). The current standard of practice for mechanically ventilated patients is to use low-tidal volume (LTV) ventilation, meaning administering 6-7 mL/kg of ideal body weight (Hoegl, et al. Anesthesiology. 2016;29[4]:94). The benefits of LTV ventilation include significantly decreased risk in lung injury, decreased risk of developing ARDS, and lessening of hemodynamic compromise (Hoegl, et al. 2016); (Stephens, et al. Crit Care Med. 2015;43:1477). Also, due to its high efficacy in terms of cost-effective care, such as shorter ICU stays and less number of days supported by mechanical ventilation, many hospitals have incorporated LTV strategy into the care of almost all post-op patients (Stephens, et al. 2015). However, no randomized controlled trials have been conducted in post-op cardiovascular patients undergoing mechanical ventilation to determine if LTV ventilation (6-7 mL/kg) has superior efficacy over higher levels of ventilation (8-10 mL/kg). This patient population tends to have normal lung function and, therefore, a LTV strategy could possibly be too conservative, whereas larger tidal volumes may be more comfortable and provide better ventilation considering the increased dead space in post-op cardiovascular patients. In order to address this gap in the literature, it is essential to determine if significant differences exist in patient mortality, ventilator days, hospital stay, and incidence of pulmonary complications for this population undergoing ventilation volumes of approximately 6 mL/kg or 8 mL/kg of ideal body weight.
Bethlehem Markos
Fellow-in-Training
Sleep Medicine
In case you missed it: Recent findings in obstructive sleep apnea
On behalf of the Sleep Medicine NetWork, I would like to highlight a few key articles related to OSA:
A potential drug combo to treat OSA (Taranto-Montemurro, et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. Articles in Press. Published on 05-November-2018 as 10.1164/rccm.201808-1493OC) The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) decreased by over 20 events/hour in a small group of patients receiving atomoxetine and oxybutynin, presumably via increased activity of the upper airway dilator muscles.
CPAP may reduce hospitalizations (Truong, et al. J Clin Sleep Med. 2018;14[2]:183) Patients nonadherent to CPAP had greater all-cause 30-day readmission rates over an 8-year period after adjusting for comorbidities, suggesting the potential of CPAP to prevent recurrent hospitalizations.
Patients getting in-lab sleep testing are increasingly complex (Colaco, et al. J Clin Sleep Med. 2018;14[4]:631) Patients undergoing PSG as opposed to home testing have more medical comorbidities than in the past, with implications for how labs are staffed and what monitoring is available.
OSA severity predicts amyloid burden (Sharma. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2018;197[7]:933) This study highlights a potential pathway in which OSA impacts amyloid deposition and, thereby, vulnerability to developing Alzheimer disease.
A drug for residual sleepiness in OSA (Schweitzer, et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med Articles in Press. Published on 06-December-2018 as 10.1164/rccm.201806-1100OC) For patients with OSA whose sleepiness persisted despite PAP adherence, this 12-week randomized trial showed dose-dependent improvements in wakefulness with use of solriamfetol, a dopamine/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor.
Lauren Tobias, MD
Steering Committee Member
Occupational and Environmental Health
Black lung disease in the 21st century
Inhalation and deposition of coal dust particles cause a range of lung injury from coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP) to dust-related diffuse fibrosis to COPD. Despite workplace standards and improved environmental controls to limit dust exposure within coal mines, incidence of “black lung disease” in the United States has increased since the turn of the century (Antao VC, et al. Occup Environ Med. 2005;62[10]:670). Coal miners working in the Appalachian Mountains have been particularly vulnerable to developing rapidly progressive and severe pneumoconiosis. In 2018, three black lung clinics in central Appalachia uncovered the largest cluster of progressive massive fibrosis (PMF) ever reported (Blackley DJ, et al. JAMA. 2018;319[5]:500). An investigation by National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) program Frontline identified more than 2,000 Appalachian coal miners suffering with PMF from 2011 to 2016, while only 99 cases of PMF were identified by the current federal monitoring program during the same period (https://goo.gl/ZJXp1W). Only about one-third of coal miners may participate in screening for black lung disease, and lack of participation could result from barriers such as fear of retaliation from employers (Siddons A. CQ-Roll Call, Inc. March 1, 2019; https://goo.gl/5mfVFvl). Ongoing research is studying factors leading to the resurgence in CWP. Increasing silica content in coal dust is a likely culprit that has escaped mine safety regulations. Given the rising incidence and the increasing morbidity and mortality of black lung disease, there is a need to educate and engage pulmonologists and others to improve surveillance and early recognition of the spectrum of coal-dust-related lung diseases to decrease morbidity and mortality among this vulnerable occupational group.
Drew Harris, MD
Amy Ahasic, MD, MPH, FCCP
Steering Committee Members
Palliative and End-of-Life Care
Importance of language and word choice when discussing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
Words matter. Whether spoken or written, the words we choose when communicating with each other are fundamentally important, both by intention of the originator and the understanding of the audience, whether or not the meaning is imparted faithfully.
In medicine, we identify patients with their illness, “the septic patient,” or category, “the terminal patient” or “the DNR patient” (Altillio, et al. AAHPM Quarterly. 2013;14-18). We escape responsibility for adequate communication by adopting a language filled with anatomic and pharmaceutical references where we blame patients for their disease process, eg, “the patient failed extubation” or “the patient is noncompliant.” We tend to resort to medical jargon or terror language in order to achieve the desired outcome. Never is this more evident than when discussing code status. In the ICU, when one hopes to “get the DNR,” it is not uncommon to hear the phrase, “If your heart stops, we would have to break all of your ribs, and that would be torture.” While the data are clear on harmful effects of CPR, and its general lack of success for people with a serious illness (Dunham, et al. Eur Radiol. 2018;28[10]:4122), it is unnecessary to use threatening language in our communication.
Compassionate care begins and ends with effective communication. The Palliative and End of Life Care NetWork supports making better word choices. We encourage framing end-of-life care around what will continue to work to help support the patient and not doing things that we know do not work. “We will do everything to help manage his/her breathing and heart rate, and when his/her heart stops, we will allow him/her to die naturally” (Curtis, et al. Intensive Care Med. 2014;40:606).
Benjamin Moses, MD
Anne Kelemen, LICSW
Steering Committee Members
Respiratory Care
Low-tidal volume ventilation
Respir CMechanical ventilation in postoperative (post-op) patients is essential in care because it can determine the patient’s overall outcome, especially in post-op cardiovascular surgery patients. The risks of hemodynamic instability and consideration of total body organ function make choosing the correct strategy of mechanical ventilation vital (Ball, et al. Crit Care. 2016;22[4]:386). The current standard of practice for mechanically ventilated patients is to use low-tidal volume (LTV) ventilation, meaning administering 6-7 mL/kg of ideal body weight (Hoegl, et al. Anesthesiology. 2016;29[4]:94). The benefits of LTV ventilation include significantly decreased risk in lung injury, decreased risk of developing ARDS, and lessening of hemodynamic compromise (Hoegl, et al. 2016); (Stephens, et al. Crit Care Med. 2015;43:1477). Also, due to its high efficacy in terms of cost-effective care, such as shorter ICU stays and less number of days supported by mechanical ventilation, many hospitals have incorporated LTV strategy into the care of almost all post-op patients (Stephens, et al. 2015). However, no randomized controlled trials have been conducted in post-op cardiovascular patients undergoing mechanical ventilation to determine if LTV ventilation (6-7 mL/kg) has superior efficacy over higher levels of ventilation (8-10 mL/kg). This patient population tends to have normal lung function and, therefore, a LTV strategy could possibly be too conservative, whereas larger tidal volumes may be more comfortable and provide better ventilation considering the increased dead space in post-op cardiovascular patients. In order to address this gap in the literature, it is essential to determine if significant differences exist in patient mortality, ventilator days, hospital stay, and incidence of pulmonary complications for this population undergoing ventilation volumes of approximately 6 mL/kg or 8 mL/kg of ideal body weight.
Bethlehem Markos
Fellow-in-Training
Sleep Medicine
In case you missed it: Recent findings in obstructive sleep apnea
On behalf of the Sleep Medicine NetWork, I would like to highlight a few key articles related to OSA:
A potential drug combo to treat OSA (Taranto-Montemurro, et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. Articles in Press. Published on 05-November-2018 as 10.1164/rccm.201808-1493OC) The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) decreased by over 20 events/hour in a small group of patients receiving atomoxetine and oxybutynin, presumably via increased activity of the upper airway dilator muscles.
CPAP may reduce hospitalizations (Truong, et al. J Clin Sleep Med. 2018;14[2]:183) Patients nonadherent to CPAP had greater all-cause 30-day readmission rates over an 8-year period after adjusting for comorbidities, suggesting the potential of CPAP to prevent recurrent hospitalizations.
Patients getting in-lab sleep testing are increasingly complex (Colaco, et al. J Clin Sleep Med. 2018;14[4]:631) Patients undergoing PSG as opposed to home testing have more medical comorbidities than in the past, with implications for how labs are staffed and what monitoring is available.
OSA severity predicts amyloid burden (Sharma. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2018;197[7]:933) This study highlights a potential pathway in which OSA impacts amyloid deposition and, thereby, vulnerability to developing Alzheimer disease.
A drug for residual sleepiness in OSA (Schweitzer, et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med Articles in Press. Published on 06-December-2018 as 10.1164/rccm.201806-1100OC) For patients with OSA whose sleepiness persisted despite PAP adherence, this 12-week randomized trial showed dose-dependent improvements in wakefulness with use of solriamfetol, a dopamine/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor.
Lauren Tobias, MD
Steering Committee Member
Occupational and Environmental Health
Black lung disease in the 21st century
Inhalation and deposition of coal dust particles cause a range of lung injury from coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP) to dust-related diffuse fibrosis to COPD. Despite workplace standards and improved environmental controls to limit dust exposure within coal mines, incidence of “black lung disease” in the United States has increased since the turn of the century (Antao VC, et al. Occup Environ Med. 2005;62[10]:670). Coal miners working in the Appalachian Mountains have been particularly vulnerable to developing rapidly progressive and severe pneumoconiosis. In 2018, three black lung clinics in central Appalachia uncovered the largest cluster of progressive massive fibrosis (PMF) ever reported (Blackley DJ, et al. JAMA. 2018;319[5]:500). An investigation by National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) program Frontline identified more than 2,000 Appalachian coal miners suffering with PMF from 2011 to 2016, while only 99 cases of PMF were identified by the current federal monitoring program during the same period (https://goo.gl/ZJXp1W). Only about one-third of coal miners may participate in screening for black lung disease, and lack of participation could result from barriers such as fear of retaliation from employers (Siddons A. CQ-Roll Call, Inc. March 1, 2019; https://goo.gl/5mfVFvl). Ongoing research is studying factors leading to the resurgence in CWP. Increasing silica content in coal dust is a likely culprit that has escaped mine safety regulations. Given the rising incidence and the increasing morbidity and mortality of black lung disease, there is a need to educate and engage pulmonologists and others to improve surveillance and early recognition of the spectrum of coal-dust-related lung diseases to decrease morbidity and mortality among this vulnerable occupational group.
Drew Harris, MD
Amy Ahasic, MD, MPH, FCCP
Steering Committee Members
Palliative and End-of-Life Care
Importance of language and word choice when discussing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
Words matter. Whether spoken or written, the words we choose when communicating with each other are fundamentally important, both by intention of the originator and the understanding of the audience, whether or not the meaning is imparted faithfully.
In medicine, we identify patients with their illness, “the septic patient,” or category, “the terminal patient” or “the DNR patient” (Altillio, et al. AAHPM Quarterly. 2013;14-18). We escape responsibility for adequate communication by adopting a language filled with anatomic and pharmaceutical references where we blame patients for their disease process, eg, “the patient failed extubation” or “the patient is noncompliant.” We tend to resort to medical jargon or terror language in order to achieve the desired outcome. Never is this more evident than when discussing code status. In the ICU, when one hopes to “get the DNR,” it is not uncommon to hear the phrase, “If your heart stops, we would have to break all of your ribs, and that would be torture.” While the data are clear on harmful effects of CPR, and its general lack of success for people with a serious illness (Dunham, et al. Eur Radiol. 2018;28[10]:4122), it is unnecessary to use threatening language in our communication.
Compassionate care begins and ends with effective communication. The Palliative and End of Life Care NetWork supports making better word choices. We encourage framing end-of-life care around what will continue to work to help support the patient and not doing things that we know do not work. “We will do everything to help manage his/her breathing and heart rate, and when his/her heart stops, we will allow him/her to die naturally” (Curtis, et al. Intensive Care Med. 2014;40:606).
Benjamin Moses, MD
Anne Kelemen, LICSW
Steering Committee Members
Respiratory Care
Low-tidal volume ventilation
Respir CMechanical ventilation in postoperative (post-op) patients is essential in care because it can determine the patient’s overall outcome, especially in post-op cardiovascular surgery patients. The risks of hemodynamic instability and consideration of total body organ function make choosing the correct strategy of mechanical ventilation vital (Ball, et al. Crit Care. 2016;22[4]:386). The current standard of practice for mechanically ventilated patients is to use low-tidal volume (LTV) ventilation, meaning administering 6-7 mL/kg of ideal body weight (Hoegl, et al. Anesthesiology. 2016;29[4]:94). The benefits of LTV ventilation include significantly decreased risk in lung injury, decreased risk of developing ARDS, and lessening of hemodynamic compromise (Hoegl, et al. 2016); (Stephens, et al. Crit Care Med. 2015;43:1477). Also, due to its high efficacy in terms of cost-effective care, such as shorter ICU stays and less number of days supported by mechanical ventilation, many hospitals have incorporated LTV strategy into the care of almost all post-op patients (Stephens, et al. 2015). However, no randomized controlled trials have been conducted in post-op cardiovascular patients undergoing mechanical ventilation to determine if LTV ventilation (6-7 mL/kg) has superior efficacy over higher levels of ventilation (8-10 mL/kg). This patient population tends to have normal lung function and, therefore, a LTV strategy could possibly be too conservative, whereas larger tidal volumes may be more comfortable and provide better ventilation considering the increased dead space in post-op cardiovascular patients. In order to address this gap in the literature, it is essential to determine if significant differences exist in patient mortality, ventilator days, hospital stay, and incidence of pulmonary complications for this population undergoing ventilation volumes of approximately 6 mL/kg or 8 mL/kg of ideal body weight.
Bethlehem Markos
Fellow-in-Training
Sleep Medicine
In case you missed it: Recent findings in obstructive sleep apnea
On behalf of the Sleep Medicine NetWork, I would like to highlight a few key articles related to OSA:
A potential drug combo to treat OSA (Taranto-Montemurro, et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. Articles in Press. Published on 05-November-2018 as 10.1164/rccm.201808-1493OC) The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) decreased by over 20 events/hour in a small group of patients receiving atomoxetine and oxybutynin, presumably via increased activity of the upper airway dilator muscles.
CPAP may reduce hospitalizations (Truong, et al. J Clin Sleep Med. 2018;14[2]:183) Patients nonadherent to CPAP had greater all-cause 30-day readmission rates over an 8-year period after adjusting for comorbidities, suggesting the potential of CPAP to prevent recurrent hospitalizations.
Patients getting in-lab sleep testing are increasingly complex (Colaco, et al. J Clin Sleep Med. 2018;14[4]:631) Patients undergoing PSG as opposed to home testing have more medical comorbidities than in the past, with implications for how labs are staffed and what monitoring is available.
OSA severity predicts amyloid burden (Sharma. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2018;197[7]:933) This study highlights a potential pathway in which OSA impacts amyloid deposition and, thereby, vulnerability to developing Alzheimer disease.
A drug for residual sleepiness in OSA (Schweitzer, et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med Articles in Press. Published on 06-December-2018 as 10.1164/rccm.201806-1100OC) For patients with OSA whose sleepiness persisted despite PAP adherence, this 12-week randomized trial showed dose-dependent improvements in wakefulness with use of solriamfetol, a dopamine/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor.
Lauren Tobias, MD
Steering Committee Member
Welcoming a new Section Editor for Sleep Strategies
Michelle Cao, DO, FCCP
Dr. Michelle Cao is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Division of Sleep Medicine and Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Her clinical expertise is in complex sleep-related respiratory disorders and home mechanical ventilation for chronic respiratory failure syndromes. She oversees the Noninvasive Ventilation Program for the Stanford Neuromuscular Medicine Center. Dr. Cao also holds the position of Vice-Chair for the Home-Based Mechanical Ventilation and Neuromuscular Disease NetWork with CHEST and is a member of the Scientific Presentations and Awards Committee.
Michelle Cao, DO, FCCP
Dr. Michelle Cao is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Division of Sleep Medicine and Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Her clinical expertise is in complex sleep-related respiratory disorders and home mechanical ventilation for chronic respiratory failure syndromes. She oversees the Noninvasive Ventilation Program for the Stanford Neuromuscular Medicine Center. Dr. Cao also holds the position of Vice-Chair for the Home-Based Mechanical Ventilation and Neuromuscular Disease NetWork with CHEST and is a member of the Scientific Presentations and Awards Committee.
Michelle Cao, DO, FCCP
Dr. Michelle Cao is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Division of Sleep Medicine and Division of Neuromuscular Medicine, at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Her clinical expertise is in complex sleep-related respiratory disorders and home mechanical ventilation for chronic respiratory failure syndromes. She oversees the Noninvasive Ventilation Program for the Stanford Neuromuscular Medicine Center. Dr. Cao also holds the position of Vice-Chair for the Home-Based Mechanical Ventilation and Neuromuscular Disease NetWork with CHEST and is a member of the Scientific Presentations and Awards Committee.
On your mark, get set, GO! The NetWorks Challenge is now underway!
We are so excited to once again host the NetWorks Challenge. During the next 3 months, you have the opportunity to be a Champion and make a donation to the CHEST Foundation. Every time you contribute, you can designate a NetWork of your choice to benefit from your gift. Each NetWork is eligible to receive travel grants to CHEST 2019 based on the amount raised. Last year, we more than doubled the number of early career clinician travel grants to attend CHEST 2018. This year, we want to raise the bar again. Don’t delay, make a donation today by visiting Chestfoundation.org/donate and be a Champion for your NetWork!
Length: This year, the NetWorks Challenge will span 3 months. Contributions made between April 1 and June 30 count toward your NetWork’s fundraising total! Just be sure to list your NetWork when making your contribution on chestfoundation.org/donate. Additionally, any contributions made to the CHEST Foundation during your membership renewal will count toward your NetWorks total amount raised - no matter when your membership is up for renewal. Contributions made in this manner after June 30 will count toward your Network’s 2020 amount raised.
Each month has a unique theme related to CHEST, so be sure to watch our social media profiles to engage with us and each other during the drive.
Prizes: This year, every NetWork is eligible to receive travel grants to CHEST 2019 in New Orleans based on the amount raised by the NetWork. Our final winners – the NetWork with the highest amount raised and the NetWork with the highest participation rate, will each receive two additional travel grants to CHEST 2019. Plus, the NetWork with the highest amount raised over the course of the challenge receives an additional prize – a seat in a CHEST Live Learning course of the winner’s choosing, offered at CHEST’s Innovation, Simulation, and Training Center in Glenview, Illinois.
Visit chestfoundation.org/nc for more detailed information!
We are so excited to once again host the NetWorks Challenge. During the next 3 months, you have the opportunity to be a Champion and make a donation to the CHEST Foundation. Every time you contribute, you can designate a NetWork of your choice to benefit from your gift. Each NetWork is eligible to receive travel grants to CHEST 2019 based on the amount raised. Last year, we more than doubled the number of early career clinician travel grants to attend CHEST 2018. This year, we want to raise the bar again. Don’t delay, make a donation today by visiting Chestfoundation.org/donate and be a Champion for your NetWork!
Length: This year, the NetWorks Challenge will span 3 months. Contributions made between April 1 and June 30 count toward your NetWork’s fundraising total! Just be sure to list your NetWork when making your contribution on chestfoundation.org/donate. Additionally, any contributions made to the CHEST Foundation during your membership renewal will count toward your NetWorks total amount raised - no matter when your membership is up for renewal. Contributions made in this manner after June 30 will count toward your Network’s 2020 amount raised.
Each month has a unique theme related to CHEST, so be sure to watch our social media profiles to engage with us and each other during the drive.
Prizes: This year, every NetWork is eligible to receive travel grants to CHEST 2019 in New Orleans based on the amount raised by the NetWork. Our final winners – the NetWork with the highest amount raised and the NetWork with the highest participation rate, will each receive two additional travel grants to CHEST 2019. Plus, the NetWork with the highest amount raised over the course of the challenge receives an additional prize – a seat in a CHEST Live Learning course of the winner’s choosing, offered at CHEST’s Innovation, Simulation, and Training Center in Glenview, Illinois.
Visit chestfoundation.org/nc for more detailed information!
We are so excited to once again host the NetWorks Challenge. During the next 3 months, you have the opportunity to be a Champion and make a donation to the CHEST Foundation. Every time you contribute, you can designate a NetWork of your choice to benefit from your gift. Each NetWork is eligible to receive travel grants to CHEST 2019 based on the amount raised. Last year, we more than doubled the number of early career clinician travel grants to attend CHEST 2018. This year, we want to raise the bar again. Don’t delay, make a donation today by visiting Chestfoundation.org/donate and be a Champion for your NetWork!
Length: This year, the NetWorks Challenge will span 3 months. Contributions made between April 1 and June 30 count toward your NetWork’s fundraising total! Just be sure to list your NetWork when making your contribution on chestfoundation.org/donate. Additionally, any contributions made to the CHEST Foundation during your membership renewal will count toward your NetWorks total amount raised - no matter when your membership is up for renewal. Contributions made in this manner after June 30 will count toward your Network’s 2020 amount raised.
Each month has a unique theme related to CHEST, so be sure to watch our social media profiles to engage with us and each other during the drive.
Prizes: This year, every NetWork is eligible to receive travel grants to CHEST 2019 in New Orleans based on the amount raised by the NetWork. Our final winners – the NetWork with the highest amount raised and the NetWork with the highest participation rate, will each receive two additional travel grants to CHEST 2019. Plus, the NetWork with the highest amount raised over the course of the challenge receives an additional prize – a seat in a CHEST Live Learning course of the winner’s choosing, offered at CHEST’s Innovation, Simulation, and Training Center in Glenview, Illinois.
Visit chestfoundation.org/nc for more detailed information!
Five things to do near the convention center in NOLA
While CHEST 2019 will have your days busy, don’t forget to find time to explore entertaining, cultural, and historic places around New Orleans. Grab your friends and colleagues for some fun, and try out a few of these places!
1. House of Blues New Orleans
If you’re already heading to the city known for jazz and blues, there’s no better place to experience that than the House of Blues New Orleans. Enjoy live music and great food under one roof. Be sure to check the House of Blues website as the annual meeting draws nearer to see which concerts and events will be happening in October.
2. Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
Located just north of the convention center, head over to the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. During the fall and winter months, the aquarium has less traffic, which allows you to take in all the animals and exhibits at your own pace. See exhibits like the Great Maya Reef, a walk-through tunnel into a submerged Maya city of the Yucatan peninsula; the penguins, sea otters, or the sharks and rays in the 400,000-gallon Gulf of Mexico Exhibit.
Hours: Monday - Sunday | 10 AM - 5 PM
3. Ogden Museum of Southern Art
Less than 5 minutes from the convention center, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art holds the largest and most comprehensive collection of southern art, including visual art, music, literature, and culinary heritage. If you’re in the city before or after the annual meeting, catch a guided tour on a Thursday afternoon. Tours are free with admission into the museum. Check their website for museum hours.
4. Escape My Room
Who doesn’t love a good escape room? At Escape My Room, look for clues and hints to help the DeLaporte family as you’re transported through history into the DeLaporte Family Museum. Bring your family or team in a group of up to eight, depending on the room, and see if you can solve the mystery.
5. A walking tour of the Garden District
Take a cable car a few stops to the Garden District, a historic neighborhood in New Orleans. This picturesque neighborhood showcases plantation-style mansions, streets separated by stretches of green parks, and the historic Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 and cable car line that runs along St. Charles Avenue. There are guided tours available, but you can also choose to take a self-tour of the area.
While CHEST 2019 will have your days busy, don’t forget to find time to explore entertaining, cultural, and historic places around New Orleans. Grab your friends and colleagues for some fun, and try out a few of these places!
1. House of Blues New Orleans
If you’re already heading to the city known for jazz and blues, there’s no better place to experience that than the House of Blues New Orleans. Enjoy live music and great food under one roof. Be sure to check the House of Blues website as the annual meeting draws nearer to see which concerts and events will be happening in October.
2. Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
Located just north of the convention center, head over to the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. During the fall and winter months, the aquarium has less traffic, which allows you to take in all the animals and exhibits at your own pace. See exhibits like the Great Maya Reef, a walk-through tunnel into a submerged Maya city of the Yucatan peninsula; the penguins, sea otters, or the sharks and rays in the 400,000-gallon Gulf of Mexico Exhibit.
Hours: Monday - Sunday | 10 AM - 5 PM
3. Ogden Museum of Southern Art
Less than 5 minutes from the convention center, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art holds the largest and most comprehensive collection of southern art, including visual art, music, literature, and culinary heritage. If you’re in the city before or after the annual meeting, catch a guided tour on a Thursday afternoon. Tours are free with admission into the museum. Check their website for museum hours.
4. Escape My Room
Who doesn’t love a good escape room? At Escape My Room, look for clues and hints to help the DeLaporte family as you’re transported through history into the DeLaporte Family Museum. Bring your family or team in a group of up to eight, depending on the room, and see if you can solve the mystery.
5. A walking tour of the Garden District
Take a cable car a few stops to the Garden District, a historic neighborhood in New Orleans. This picturesque neighborhood showcases plantation-style mansions, streets separated by stretches of green parks, and the historic Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 and cable car line that runs along St. Charles Avenue. There are guided tours available, but you can also choose to take a self-tour of the area.
While CHEST 2019 will have your days busy, don’t forget to find time to explore entertaining, cultural, and historic places around New Orleans. Grab your friends and colleagues for some fun, and try out a few of these places!
1. House of Blues New Orleans
If you’re already heading to the city known for jazz and blues, there’s no better place to experience that than the House of Blues New Orleans. Enjoy live music and great food under one roof. Be sure to check the House of Blues website as the annual meeting draws nearer to see which concerts and events will be happening in October.
2. Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
Located just north of the convention center, head over to the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. During the fall and winter months, the aquarium has less traffic, which allows you to take in all the animals and exhibits at your own pace. See exhibits like the Great Maya Reef, a walk-through tunnel into a submerged Maya city of the Yucatan peninsula; the penguins, sea otters, or the sharks and rays in the 400,000-gallon Gulf of Mexico Exhibit.
Hours: Monday - Sunday | 10 AM - 5 PM
3. Ogden Museum of Southern Art
Less than 5 minutes from the convention center, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art holds the largest and most comprehensive collection of southern art, including visual art, music, literature, and culinary heritage. If you’re in the city before or after the annual meeting, catch a guided tour on a Thursday afternoon. Tours are free with admission into the museum. Check their website for museum hours.
4. Escape My Room
Who doesn’t love a good escape room? At Escape My Room, look for clues and hints to help the DeLaporte family as you’re transported through history into the DeLaporte Family Museum. Bring your family or team in a group of up to eight, depending on the room, and see if you can solve the mystery.
5. A walking tour of the Garden District
Take a cable car a few stops to the Garden District, a historic neighborhood in New Orleans. This picturesque neighborhood showcases plantation-style mansions, streets separated by stretches of green parks, and the historic Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 and cable car line that runs along St. Charles Avenue. There are guided tours available, but you can also choose to take a self-tour of the area.
Check out the current CHEST Thought Leaders Blog teaser
Sleep: It Does a Body Good by Dr. Nancy Stewart
Sleep: it does a body good. No really, it does. When asked to write this month’s blog on sleep for Sleep Awareness Month, although honored, it was somewhat comical because the night prior I had one of my worst nights of sleep in a long time, taking care of a sick child. As health-care providers, we often lead stressful lives and pack way too much into our schedules. Both the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommend obtaining 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night for adults; unfortunately, many of us are not getting the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep.
Find the entire blog at https://goo.gl/sp9wWn.
Sleep: It Does a Body Good by Dr. Nancy Stewart
Sleep: it does a body good. No really, it does. When asked to write this month’s blog on sleep for Sleep Awareness Month, although honored, it was somewhat comical because the night prior I had one of my worst nights of sleep in a long time, taking care of a sick child. As health-care providers, we often lead stressful lives and pack way too much into our schedules. Both the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommend obtaining 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night for adults; unfortunately, many of us are not getting the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep.
Find the entire blog at https://goo.gl/sp9wWn.
Sleep: It Does a Body Good by Dr. Nancy Stewart
Sleep: it does a body good. No really, it does. When asked to write this month’s blog on sleep for Sleep Awareness Month, although honored, it was somewhat comical because the night prior I had one of my worst nights of sleep in a long time, taking care of a sick child. As health-care providers, we often lead stressful lives and pack way too much into our schedules. Both the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommend obtaining 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night for adults; unfortunately, many of us are not getting the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep.
Find the entire blog at https://goo.gl/sp9wWn.