Chapter Update: Goals for the New Year

The Southwest Chapter of the National Lipid Association (SWLA) established three primary goals we planned to achieve at the NLA Scientific Sessions last June in Chicago.

1. Education: Promotion of lipid journal clubs in all of the states in the chapter
2. Introduction to the legislative arena: Improving patient’s health through political advocacy
3. Completion of the SWLA LipidSpin:  Part education, part inspiration

Education
On Sept. 19, 2015, SWLA partnered with the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA) and co-sponsored a symposium at their 2015 Fall Lecture Series in Denver. SWLA board member Judy Collins, MSN, CLS, presented an update on “Statins and Beyond: New Tools for the Challenging Patient.”

I enjoyed the privilege of attending a Lipid Journal Club of SWLA Vice President Kari Uusinarkaus, MD, FNLA. Dr. Uusinarkaus has been regularly hosting these educational dinner programs in Colorado Springs, Colo., for the last several years. On Sept. 29, 2015, SWLA’s immediate past president Kris Vijay MD, FNLA, was the featured lecturer and lent his extensive expertise to a moderate and spirited educational discussion of current lipid therapy.

James Falko, MD, FNLA, joined board member Joel Marrs, PharmD, FNLA, and preventive cardiology fellow Reynaria Pitts, MD, to present an education symposium to the Colorado Society of Osteopathic Medicine (CSOM) with Dr. Haffey serving as the moderator. More than 75 physicians and healthcare providers were treated to a “question and answer” format of journal club to update community physicians and medical students on the advances in clinical lipidology.

Legislation
The second area of interest that the SWLA Chapter identified as a targeted goal was to educate the SWLA membership to the concept of political advocacy. We initiated the process by offering a scholarship for an interested SWLA member to attend the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Legislative Conference with Dr. Haffey. Elizabeth Jackson, CNS, CLS, a current member of the NLA board, was chosen to represent SWLA. Elizabeth and I were inspired, and had an opportunity to meet with the keynote speaker: Fox News contributor and Pulitzer Prize awardee Charles Krauthammer, MD. We both took inspiration from the keynote address, as he had to overcome so many significant obstacles in his own life to achieve the success he enjoys today.

Dr. Krauthammer impressed both of us with his editorial comments on the ramifications of the presidential election cycle, as well as what effect the process will ultimately have on the medical profession. His anecdotes and personal stories will continue to inspire us for many years. The ACC conference provided insight into the legislative process and provided a valuable primer that we can expand in the coming years to assist the NLA in achieving our legislative goals.

We are a relatively small organization, but highly dedicated to the concept of enlightening our patient’s health through our devotion to educating members on how to deliver the “best practice” model. We are committed to cooperating with like- minded patient-centered organizations.

We have, and will continue, to reach out to our associated organizations such as the PCNA, CSOM, as well as the Colorado Chapter of the ACC. We will continue to encourage SWLA members to participate in the prevention section of the ACC as we strive to spread the word of the importance of the NLA. We are also committed to share the goals of the Million Hearts® program because we too share in their dream to achieve the goal of reduction of cardiovascular events by 1 million over the next three years through the use of evidence-based clinical practices and education.

LipidSpin
We have invited M. Eugene Sherman, MD, FACC, to contribute an article in this issue (see page 7) devoted to political advocacy for medical professionals. Serving as the chairman of the ACC Advocacy and PAC, there is no one that is his equal in the field of influencing and educating our legislators. The SWLA chapter has also asked Janet Wright, MD, FACC, medical director of the Million Hearts®, to contribute her vast expertise with this exciting prevention program.

Our SWLA chapter goal is to continue to spread the reputation and expertise of the NLA by engaging preventive organizations in educational events and encouraging education for our members by actively promoting “Lipid Journal Clubs.”

We have had multiple conference calls to update our efforts in SWLA and to promote member engagement. We look forward to being the host chapter for the 2016 NLA Scientific Sessions in New Orleans.

For SWLA, there isn’t a more exciting time than now to be working in the field of clinical lipidology. Fueled by ongoing trials, inspired by the excitement in the area of guidelines, and with the creation of new educational products, advanced diagnostic techniques, and the ability of our patients to access information though the lipid.org, the NLA’s ability to deliver education to its members is second to none. We can also look forward to the excellent educational offerings both in live meetings and on our newly updated website that the NLA offers to its members.

I wish to extend my thanks to the other members of the SWLA board without whose support none of these efforts would be possible. I also would like to extend my thanks to our partner organizations such as the PCNA, CSOM, ACC, and Million Hearts® initiative and look forward to continuing a long and educationally fruitful relationships with them.