UCI Health hosts annual inflammatory bowel disease educational conference
Local experts to share latest innovations in diagnosis, treatment, nutrition and surgery
January 13, 2015
UCI Health invites the public to learn more about a painful and increasingly common condition at the 8th Annual Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patient Education Conference on Saturday, Jan. 24.
This year’s theme is New Frontiers in Inflammatory Bowel Disease and features leading experts in gastroenterology, colorectal surgery and nutrition, who will share the latest developments in the rapidly evolving science and treatment of IBD. The conference is open to patients, family members, caregivers and others interested in learning more about the disease and the advances that can improve quality of life.
“People who have this condition often feel their lives are never going to be the same. Our goal is to give them hope and help them get their lives back. That’s the reason we bring together experts from various disciplines to talk about the advances in drug therapies, nutrition and surgical treatments,” said Dr. Nimisha Parekh, director of the UCI Health IBD program. “Patients and their families look forward to attending this conference because it provides a unique opportunity to socialize with others who understand what it’s like to live with the condition, as well as to interact with prominent specialists.”
UCI Health, through its H.H. Chao Comprehensive Digestive Disease Center, offers the only comprehensive center in Orange County for people with complex cases of IBD. The condition, either ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, affects an estimated 1.6 million Americans, and is a complex, painful and difficult to diagnose condition. The symptoms of IBD are uncomfortable and can become overwhelming for patients to manage alone. There is no cure for IBD, but with proper treatment and follow-up, people can lead normal, pain-free lives.
The conference will be held from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Newkirk Alumni Center on the UC Irvine campus.
Topics include IBD 101, Overview of Medications Used in IBD, Endoscopic Advances in IBD, Nutrition, Use of Biomarkers, New Drug Therapies in IBD, Fistulas and Strictures in Crohn’s Disease, and Gut Microbiome in IBD. The program also includes a question and answer session, a continental breakfast and light refreshments. Registration is only $10 and available online or onsite at the conference.
UCI Health comprises the clinical, medical education and research enterprises of the University of California, Irvine. Patients can access UCI Health at physician offices throughout Orange County and at its main campus, UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange, Calif., a 412-bed acute care hospital that provides tertiary and quaternary care, ambulatory and specialty medical clinics, behavioral health and rehabilitation. U.S. News & World Report has listed it among America’s Best Hospitals for 14 consecutive years. UC Irvine Medical Center is home to Orange County’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program, Level I trauma center and Level II pediatric trauma center, and is the primary teaching hospital for UC Irvine School of Medicine. UCI Health serves a region of more than 3 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
