Social Work Track

FRIDAY, MARCH 13

3:45 PM

Conference Welcome

Scott Middleton, Founder | Your Health

4 PM

Value-Based Care

Ryan Beres

5 PM

KEYNOTE: Earning Trust to Advance Quality: The Role of Communication and Emerging Technologies in Transforming Care

Laura Cooley, Ph.D.

  • Examine Trust: What matters most to patients, the current state of trust in healthcare, and how trust influences patient confidence, engagement, and outcomes.

  • Communicate in the Age of AI: Exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping patient-provider interactions – and the implications for empathy, transparency, and human connection in care delivery.

  • Earn Trust through Communication: Strategies to equip healthcare teams with communication skills that support meaningful relationships, ensuring patients feel heard, valued, and respected.

Social Work Track

SATURDAY, MARCH 14

8:40 AM

Practical DBT Distress Tolerance Skills for Healthcare Professionals

Jennifer Butler, LISW

  • Explore the Role of Distress Tolerance in Health Settings. Participants will describe how DTS’s distress tolerance skills help staff navigate emotionally charged situations and prevent burnout.

  • Practice Concrete DBT Skills to Manage High-Stress Moments. Staff will engage with practical techniques such as TIPP, STOP, and self-soothing to respond effectively during crises or emotionally intense scenarios.

  • Apply Distress Tolerance Tools to Improve Patient Care and Team Resilience. Learners will evaluate how integrating these strategies can support de-escalation, enhance communication, and promote emotional regulation for both patients and healthcare teams.

10 AM

How AI-Empowered Patients and Doctors Can Take Control in Primary Care

Robert Pearl, MD

  • Understand how AI can alleviate clinician burnout by providing patients with medical expertise to better manage their chronic diseases.

  • Appreciate the pathways for doctors and patients to take back control of medical practice from corporate entities.

  • Understand that the successful integration of AI in healthcare hinges on overcoming existing systemic barriers and fostering a connected, collaborative, and patient-centric medical system.

12:45 PM

Predictive Modelling and CBT for Mood and Anxiety Disorders: Stratifying Patients to Differing Intensity and Dose to Improve Access

Phil Klassen, MD

  • Learn about the implementation of coached e-therapy.

  • Grasp the predictive modelling results for these service users (intensity and dose).

  • Understand the outcomes of e-therapy for mood and anxiety problems using this mode.

2:05 PM

Street Smarts and Clinical Charts: Navigating the New Frontier of Substance Use Disorders

Aubrey L. Sejuit, PhD, LISW-CP, LPC-A

  • Categorize common and emerging illicit substances by their “street names”, slang, and cultural identifiers to improve patient-provider communication and history-taking.

  • Evaluate the physical signs and behavioral ‘red flags’ of intoxication and withdrawal for major drug classes, inc20luding opioids, stimulants, and new synthetics.

  • Identify the legal protections and "Reasonable Modifications" required under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for patients with a history of SUD or those currently utilizing Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT).

  • Analyze the DSM-5-TR diagnostic framework to accurately document a substance use disorder in a clinical chart while remaining sensitive to the nuances of patient self-reporting and slang usage.

  • Describe the impact of emerging 2026 drug trends, such as Xylazine and Netzines, on traditional overdose reversal protocols and wound care management

3:10 PM

Guiding Families with Insight: The Role of Aging Life Care Professionals

Mary Winstead, ACSW, LISW-CP, CMC and Michelle Nunn, MHA, CDP, CMC

  • Understand how the increased life expectancy and medical advancements have made care decisions more complicated.

  • Educate families on how these experts can provide holistic support.

  • Enhance the older adult’s quality of life.

4:30 PM

Staying Steady in the Storm: The Social Work Clinician as a Suicide Loss Survivor

Jennifer Butler, LISW

  • Recognize the emotional impact of losing a patient to suicide.

  • Assess how suicide loss reshapes clinical practice and suicide prevention efforts.

  • Implement effective self-care and healing strategies.

  • Support schools and communities through postvention efforts.

Social Work Track

SUNDAY, MARCH 15

8:15 AM

Drop It Low: Applying the ADA Standards of Care for Diabetes Management

Christie Monahan, PharmD

  • Explain the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus in patient-friendly terms.

  • Compare pharmacotherapy treatment options and apply to patient care with a focus on guideline-directed management.

  • Assess current treatment, including non-medicinal factors, contributing to overall health wellbeing while modifying clinical practice.

  • Improve patient experience with interprofessional collaboration

9:15 AM

Defining and Providing Wellness and Primary Care in Skilled Nursing Facilities

Ramesh Krishnaraj, MD

  • Clarify what “wellness” means for older adults in skilled nursing settings.

  • Explain how wellness and primary care contribute to better outcomes, reduced hospitalizations, and improved quality of life.

  • Understand how clinicians, nurses, therapists, and aides contribute to wellness and primary care.

10:45 AM

Updates in Hormone Replacement Therapy

John Short, DO, and Brooke Howard

  • Recognize a patient’s deficiencies based on symptoms.

  • Understand treatment goals and endpoints.

  • Coordinate appropriate follow-up for long-term benefits.