Integrated Health Offerings at IFSO 2017: 22nd World Congress of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity & Metabolic Disorders

A Symposium Preview:

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22nd World Congress of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity & Metabolic Disorders

London, United Kingdom
August 29–September 2, 2017

by Mary O’Kane, RD, BSc (Hons), MSc, FBDA

Mary O’Kane, RD, BSc (Hons), MSc, FBDA, is from Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Dietetic Department, The General Infirmary at Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom. 

Funding: No funding was provided.
Disclosures: The author reports no conflicts of interest relevant to the content of this article.

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A Message from Tracy Martinez, RN, BSN, CBN, Chair, IFSO Integrated Health

Dear Readers,

As the newly appointed IFSO Integrated Health Chair, it is a great pleasure to invite you to attend this year’s IFSO meeting in London, United Kingdom. Under the coordination of Mary O’Kane, RD, BSc (Hons), MSc, FBDA, IFSO Integrated Health Chair-elect, this year’s Integrated Health meeting will be superb. The goal of the IFSO Integrated Health meeting is to bring together members throughout the world who are dedicated to sharing clinical experiences. The Integrated Health meeting alone will have representation from more than six countries. Together, we can unite in our mission to promote optimal patient care in our individual countries, as well building collaboration and knowledge to share among our international colleagues. To learn more about the Integrated Health section of IFSO, please visit our page on the IFSO website at http://www.IFSO.com. I hope to see you in London.

Sincerely,

Tracy Martinez, RN, BSN, CBN

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Introduction

The 22nd World Congress of International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) will be held in the QEII Centre, London, United Kingdom, August 29 to September 2, 2017. The British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society (BOMSS) is delighted to be the local organizers for this important conference which will bring together expertise in obesity and metabolic surgery. BOMSS has strong Integrated Health membership with three IH (nursing and allied health professionals) members on council. The 22nd World Congress of International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) will be held in the QEII Centre, London, United Kingdom, August 29 to September 2, 2017. The British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society (BOMSS) is delighted to be the local organizers for this important conference which will bring together expertise in obesity and metabolic surgery. BOMSS has strong Integrated Health membership with three IH (nursing and allied health professionals) members on council.

IFSO Integrated Health Section

There are many contributing factors to obesity, including genetic predisposition, psycho-social, energy intake and expenditure, environmental, and developmental. Dietary, lifestyle, and behavior change remain important components of obesity treatment; however, metabolic and bariatric surgery is an important tool in the management of people with severe and complex obesity, and so a holistic approach to treatment may be considered. Patients undergoing metabolic and bariatric surgery require and benefit from multidisciplinary team input from dietitians, nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, obesity physicians, surgeons, anesthetists, and primary care professionals. Consequently, the Integrated Health membership of all bariatric surgery societies is extremely valuable.

IFSO 2017 Schedule: Integrated Health

The IFSO post-graduate IH course will be held on Wednesday, August 30, 2017. All disciplines have contributed to its development. It will be of interest to all healthcare professionals in community and specialist bariatric centers, including doctors, nurses, dietitians, psychologists, and physiotherapists involved in the management of patients with severe and complex obesity. The course aim is to meet the educational needs of healthcare professionals involved in the preparation and aftercare of patients undergoing obesity surgery.  The course will also appeal to healthcare professionals who may see patients who have had bariatric surgery but are not directly involved in their postoperative care.

The role of surgery in the type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) improvement has been highlighted during the 2nd Diabetes Surgery Summit and in recent publications. Currently, 48 societies worldwide endorse bariatric surgery as the most efficacious treatment modality for metabolic syndrome. Consequently, we are delighted that Francesco Rubino, MD, a prominent researcher in this area, will open the IH day with a key note speech on bariatric surgery and T2DM.

The morning parallel sessions that follow are profession led, however, attendees will be able to select their preferred sessions. Other international speakers include Tracy Martinez, RN, BSN, CBN and Drs. Antonio Torres, John Morton, and Luca Busetto. After an opportunity to network at lunch time, in true multidisciplinary team style, everyone will join together to attend the afternoon sessions, which focus on patient support, management of reactive hypoglycaemia, pregnancy, and nutritional deficiencies. For full details on the Primary Care and Integrated Health Professionals postgraduate program, please visit http://www.ifso2017.com.

The scientific committee membership reflects that of the multidisciplinary care team. I am delighted to serve on the committee as an IH representative. It has been a fantastic opportunity to be involved in the development of the program, witnessing first-hand the amount of organization (and time) required to put together a program, including face-to-face meetings, telephone conference calls, e-mails, and of course the judging of the abstracts. The final program will appeal to all disciplines.

The schedule of events is as follows:

• August 29–30, 2017. Post-graduate courses
• August 30, 2017. Main conference open with a welcome ceremony
• August 31, 2017. Main conference sessions begin
• September 2, 2017. Main conference sessions end

The program is designed to appeal to all healthcare professionals working in the field. The committee have organized an excellent program with a wide range of topics from “Bariatric surgery and behavioral health—pre and post-op challenges” to “Fertility and pregnancy after bariatric surgery.” IH attendance is encouraged and there is a discounted rate for the IH postgraduate course and main conference.

The patient voice is an important part of the conference. Patient representive Ken Clare will present “Patient focus—patient support group—what patients need to know.” Additional IH postgraduate courses will cover the following topics: patient engagement, perception, bias, and access to care. As a clinician caring for patients with obesity, I believe it is important that we work to end the stigma that our patients face.

Social/Networking Events

The conference is not only an opportunity to attend excellent presentations, but also a good venue to network with colleagues worldwide. There will be opportunities over lunchtime to network and visit the partners and exhibitors. The congress dinner, Friday, September 1, 2017, will be a memorable evening with a boat trip along river Thames to Greenwich passing some of London’s most famous landmarks, including Big Ben, the London Eye, the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and The O2. This will be followed by the Congress Dinner at the National Maritime Museum, located within the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage site in Greenwich.

The QEII centre is in Westminster, the heart of London, near to Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the London Eye. It is an excellent venue and ideally placed. It has excellent transport links.

For further information, please visit the congress website http://www.ifso2017.com. Be sure to also visit our Facebook page and follow @IFSO_2017 on Twitter. We look forward to meeting you and developing new networks and contacts.

Tags: IFSO

Category: Past Articles, Symposium Preview