The Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) will host PHA on the Road: PH Patients and Families Education Forum Saturday, Oct. 27, in Milwaukee. This unique education and networking forum provides people living with pulmonary hypertension (PH), their families, caregivers and friends with a unique opportunity to learn from local PH experts alongside others in the PH community. Register today, free of charge, for PHA on the Road – Milwaukee. To learn more, visit the PHA on the Road information page on the PHA website.
Experts who will speak at PHA on the Road – Milwaukee are excited to meet attendees and answer questions from the PH community. We asked speakers to share their backgrounds, interests and expertise in caring for people with PH.
Amy Kimber, R.N., APNP
Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee
PHA on the Road – Milwaukee co-chair
How did you become interested and involved in the PH field?
I became the nurse practitioner for Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin’s pulmonary hypertension program in 2009. I viewed my role as an APNP to be a liaison for patients with PH in the hospital, in the clinic and at home. As I grew in my own knowledge and gained more experience with PH patients, I began identifying ways that I thought we could enhance our care for patients at our own medical campus and nationwide, which is what prompted me to begin to volunteer for committees for medical professionals through PHA in 2010.
What are your current research interests, and what are you passionate about within your practice?
Our program is accredited through PHA as a PH Comprehensive Care Center (PHCC), which allows us to become involved in a national patient registry database for newly diagnosed patients called the Pulmonary Hypertension Association Registry (PHAR). As of September 2018, there have been more than 650 patients enrolled in PHAR from over 30 accredited PHCCs nationwide, which is exciting! We believe data from PHAR will help researchers and experts understand the disease better, which can possibly lead to new PH treatments in our quest for a cure. Patients who I have helped enroll in PHAR have expressed their happiness in being able to give back to the PH community.
Our medical center also has started a Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy (PTE) program for patients with Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension (CTEPH). PTE is a unique surgery and there are limited experienced PTE programs across the nation, so it has been very rewarding to help create and build our program and to watch our patients’ success stories unfold before our eyes!
What are you looking forward to most at PHA on the Road later this month?
Even though I have experience in the PH field, I know I will learn new things at PHA on the Road. Meeting patients and caregivers is always helpful as they offer personal insight from their own PH journey. Patients also love to share tips on how they enhance their quality of life; and I love hearing their firsthand knowledge, so I can help relay that information to my other patients. Spending the day with others in the PH community is truly a rewarding experience and I am looking forward to PHA on the Road – Milwaukee and seeing you all there.
Catherine Decker, PharmD, BCACP
University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics
Madison, Wisc.
How did you become interested and involved in the PH field?
James R. Runo, M.D. accepted a position with the University of Wisconsin (UW) Pulmonary/Critical Care team in early 2004. His previous training and research at Vanderbilt University included management of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). He implemented a UW PH interdisciplinary team and invited me to participate on that team as the clinical pharmacist charged with provision of medication management services. I consider myself fortunate to be included in the care of this patient population.
What are your current research interests, and what are you passionate about within your practice?
Currently, I am not directly involved within PAH research. I do enjoy contributing to writing toward journal submission and publication whenever possible, however. I look forward to increasing this professional activity should the opportunity arise.
Clinically, my passion within PH is to partner with patients and their caregivers, who may benefit from advanced PAH therapies. Through treatment plans and strategies, we aim to lower anxiety and alleviate the discomforts of common side effects to PH medications.
I also am passionate about introducing and offering appropriate vaccinations for infection prevention.
What are you looking forward to most at PHA on the Road later this month?
I am looking forward to connecting with patients and their caregivers in a relaxed atmosphere to more fully address medication management questions/concerns and gain some clinical “pearls.”
Rebekah Anguiano, PharmD, BCPS, BCACP
University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System
Chicago
How did you become interested and involved in the PH field?
By sheer coincidence! At a previous hospital position, I encountered a patient who had been admitted to my service and was prescribed Bosentan for PAH, both a medication and disease I’d never heard of at the time. No one on my team knew how to acquire or manage the drug so I took the opportunity to learn more about it; I’ve been involved with managing PAH therapies ever since. I went on to work at one of the specialty pharmacies for a few years and currently practice in a PH clinic.
What are your current research interests, and what are you passionate about within your practice?
My main interests involve improving access to specialty medications and ensuring effective and safe use of PH therapies.
What are you looking forward to most at PHA on the Road later this month?
I am looking forward to gaining knowledge and insights from patients and their families about the daily ins and outs of managing their PH. The PH community is so sharing and engaged with each other; I always walk away from these events feeling I’ve gained much more than I’ve given.
Register today, free of charge, for PHA on the Road – Milwaukee.
