Raising Spondylitis Awareness: Outreach To Primary Care Physicians

During Spondylitis Awareness Month, SAA attended two medical conferences, setting up booths and exhibiting to raise awareness of spondyloarthritis and the services we offer. We had the opportunity to speak with countless Physicians, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners and other medical professionals from around the country in our ongoing efforts to shorten the diagnostic delay (currently still taking an average of 7 – 10 years to diagnose!), and keep spondyloarthritis on the forefront for the medical professionals charged with recognizing the signs and symptoms. In addition to disseminating educational materials, we had the opportunity to meet and network with other organizations that can help provide much needed services and resources for our spondylitis community.

The Pri-Med West Conference:

SAA exhibited at the Pri-Med West 2019, a conference for primary care physicians with an attendance of over 7,000 health care providers, held May 22-24, 2018 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA. Kristine Callender, SAA’s Programs Manager, and Manny Caro, our Development and Annual Giving Manager had the opportunity to host SAA’s booth, and speak with conference attendees. There were nearly 700 booth visits during the three-day conference. Despite the busy exhibit hall, attendees took the time to speak and engage with our staff and collect educational materials to take back to their clinic and other staff members. A majority of the attendees stated that despite having patients with a form of spondyloarthritis they had not heard of our organization, all of whom were eager to go back and share the information with their patients. A hot topic during the conference was alternative pain treatments and healthy diets. Many attendees were very interested in information on alternative pain treatments for their patients. Our exercise flyer of sample stretches was popular amongst the physicians and we were excited to share the news of our upcoming updated exercise video series! (Look for our exercise video in the coming month!) We also shared diagnostic and screening information to answer the popular question: “How do I diagnose this?”

Memorable comments from attendees:

- One visitor returned back the next day to get more brochures and information, as she stated that she had read all of them the night before and was interested in further reading. She was given the last 6 issues of our magazine, Spondylitis Plus to take back with her.
- “I have a lot of patients with Spondylitis and I never knew there was an organization that helps them with resources.”
- “I can’t wait to go back to my patients and tell them about your organization!”
- “I am a physician and I have AS and I am grateful to have met you here.”
- “As a professor I think this information would be great to pass out to the students during my lectures on Spondyloarthritis.”
- “We would love to have someone come out and do a presentation to our staff about Spondylitis. Is this something you offer?”
- “Can you send some brochures to our clinic to have on hand for our patients?” (Yes, of course!)

SAA’s Kristine Callender and Manny Caro at the 2019 Pri-Med West Conference in Anaheim, CA

The American Academy of Physician Assistants Conference:

In addition, for the very first time, SAA exhibited at the 2019 American Academy of Physician Assistants Conference in Denver, CO on May 18-20^th, 2019. There were 209 booth visits in total and amongst those, were practicing physicians, as well as students and future PAs. This was a great opportunity to help educate our future PAs on spondyloarthritis. The students were eager for information and educational materials to take back with them. Most students stated that in school, they briefly go over the disease, however, it is usually only an hour lecture dedicated to spondyloarthritis. Therefore, they were glad to learn about our organization and our efforts to spread awareness to health care professionals. One attendee stated, “I’m surprised to see an actual organization dedicated specifically to spondyloarthritis, I didn’t think it was common enough to have a non-profit for it.” Another attendee whose specialty was in neuropathy stated, “I get a lot of patients that have spondylitis, but most of them are already much older and at the more severe end of the disease spectrum.” Another attendee was shocked at the amount of publications, brochures and newsletters we produce on spondyloarthritis. She was eager to take everything off the table to take back for further reading. Overall, the conference was successful in that we were able to speak to the front-line medical professionals who initially see patients who may have undiagnosed spondyloarthritis. We shared essential information on recognizing the signs and symptoms of spondyloarthritis and are confident that those we spoke to are now much better equipped to spot undiagnosed spondyloarthritis and begin an initial screening.

We will continue to reach out to the medical community in the coming year, and have plans to exhibit at additional conference. Other conferences we attended in 2019 include: The 2018 Pri-Med East Conference in Boston, MA from December 7-9, 2018 and the 2019 American Physical Therapy Association Conference held January 23-26, 2019 in Washington, DC.