State Meeting Wrap-Up
Hemophilia of Georgia hosted the Annual Hemophilia State Comprehensive Care Meeting in February, providing an opportunity for staff from HoG and Georgia’s Hemophilia Treatment Centers to come together, share new research, improve care, and overcome challenges in the inherited bleeding disorder community.
Over two days, discussions centered on topics ranging from research, clinical care for women with bleeding disorders, gene therapy, policy updates, and the psycho-social impact of bleeding disorders on patients.
Dr. Megan Brown started the meeting with a presentation on the work being conducted at Emory University to develop a heavy menstrual bleeding protocol to assess women who seek initial care at the emergency department. Dr. Brown shared that there is undoubtedly a need to identify and treat these young women as soon as possible, as many go undiagnosed for years.
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The State Meeting also provided a space for discussion on the latest treatments. There were several presentations on the management, challenges, and triumphs associated with the use of emicizumab to treat patients with bleeding disorders. Dr. “Bobby” Duc Tran delivered an insightful update on current gene therapy clinical trials and what we can expect to see developing in this area in the future. In addition to all the presentations, we heard several case studies from the HTC’s, including a fascinating case study on Homozygous Hemophilia B.
Of course, physical health wasn’t the only topic discussed at the State Meeting; mental health care was also on the program since it is essential to a patient’s overall well-being. Shanna Mathis shared insights from a hemophilia-related distress measurement tool that is being developed at Emory to better assess and serve the needs of patients.
There was also an informative presentation by Laura Colbert, Executive Director at Georgians for a Healthy Future, a non-profit consumer health advocacy organization that works to advance access to quality, affordable health care for all Georgians. Colbert provided an overview of 2020 legislation being discussed at the state capitol that could impact care for our patients, including surprise billing, network adequacy, and prescription benefit manager plans.
State Meeting 2020 had a robust and packed agenda that focused on patient care. The common theme was about making sure that as providers, we’re doing everything we can to improve the treatment and the lives of Georgians living with bleeding disorders.