The return of our Military/DoD/VA Day on Monday, June 26 was a big success, with a fantastic turnout of nearly 200 attendees! The pre-conference event, sponsored by BioScrip and Post Acute Medical, with support from Coram CVS/ Specialty Infusion Services and CCMC, provided service leaders with a prime occasion to present the state of their service branch. Case managers were updated on strategic goals, enterprise-wide initiatives, recent policy and procedure changes and performance measures applicable to each branch (Army, Air Force, USMC, US Navy, Coast Guard, VA).

 

The day began with an early breakfast and the Presentation of Colors by the American Legion, Travis Post 76, Spirit of 76 Honor Guard. Attendees were welcomed by Derenda Lovelace, MSN, RN-BS and Colonel Melanie Prince, USAF, NC, MSN, CCM, program chair and co-chair respectively, followed by "VA Integrated Case Management: Transforming into One Team, One Mission," by Rachele Misiti, LCSW-S, Dorothy A. Sanders, BSN, RN, Donna Vogel, MSN, CCM and Adrienne Weede, LCSW.

 

Major Saundra Sementilli, USAF, NC followed with the presentation, "Air Force Resiliency in Action:  The Preservation of the Forces Model;" Jennifer L. Peppiatt MSN, RN CNL, Paulette Smith-Kimble, DNP, RNC, VHA-CM (MAJ, AN), Sonja White, MSN, (USAF Veteran) rounded out the morning with a session on the VA Choice Program.

 

At midday, our attendees enjoyed a lunch break paired with the opportunity for additional knowledge from our eleven poster presentations. 

 

After the break, our Military Day keynote, Christopher Lettieri, MD, FCCP, FAASM, took the stage to present, "The Value of an Inter-disciplinary Team Approach in the Management of Sleep Disorders," where he demonstrated the importance of the inter-disciplinary team in properly treating a patient.

 

He shared the story of a 28-year-old woman with a 22 BMI who was having sleep issues; while one care provider told her that she probably had sleep apnea, he did not send her to have further evaluation. Her new care team found that she had a terrible case of sleep apnea and had started doing heroine to self-medicate. After proper treatment and one year later, she had recovered and was named Airman of the Quarter for her excellence at work. As Dr. Lettieri said, "It’s not always just the 55-year-old, overweight guy in your waiting room [who has sleep apnea]." 

The day finished up with a diverse panel, "Transformative Connections in DoD Total Forces and VA: Successes and Challenges," including Colonel Wendy Campbell (Army), Roberta (Bobbi) D. Pound (Air Force), CDR Kendra A. Manning USN BUMED (Navy), GS Lorri J Ward RN, MSN (U.S.M.C.), Jennifer Perez, MSW, LICSW (VA), Cynthia Davis, RN, MSN, CCM (NCR), Carmen DeLeon BSN, RN (TRO), and Captain Ashunta O. Murphy (Air National Guard), moderated and facilitated by Melanie Prince and Derenda Lovelace.

 

Program chair and co-chair, Prince and Lovelace, closed the day with ending remarks and sent attendees on their way to enjoy conference week!