On April 6, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center will host a Coronavirus Online Symposium. The event is geared towards disseminating vital information from healthcare experts to healthcare practitioners, but it is open to anyone interested in attending.
In addition to set topics, the symposium will provide a general overview of the pandemic and a chance for attendees to engage with the experts in a Q&A panel.
“It is important during this global pandemic that [UTHSC] provides up to date and important health and prevention related information to our community,” said Karen Johnson, chair of UTHSC’s Department of Preventive Medicine and Endowed Professor in Women’s Health.
Shelby County now has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the state.
Local in-person gatherings are banned on advice from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Live streaming has become a popular alternative for events, museum and zoo tours, concerts, live theater, and more.
Related: “Memphis Area COVID-19 Resource Guide”
The coronavirus symposium will be live streamed from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Attendants will have to use Zoom teleconferencing software to participate, which can be found at
zoom.us.
It is free to attend, but attendees must
register here. Click here for additional information including the event schedule. The agenda features speakers across multiple disciplines, including medicine, dentistry, and research.
Healthcare practitioners can receive continuing education credit from the American Medical Association for their attendance.
“As Tennessee’s Health Science Center, we have a responsibility to disseminate timely and accurate information to providers across the state to facilitate their ability to provide optimal patient care and improve outcomes,” said Scott Strome, executive dean of UTHSC’s College of Medicine and vice chancellor of its Health Affairs.
Can't attend? The event will be recorded and made
available here.
What to Expect
Featuring specialists from different fields will allow the symposium to address the pandemic from a variety of angles.
Alisa Haushalter, director of the Shelby County Health Department, will cover countywide public health preparation and responses.
The virus is also a source of concern for dentists and their patients. Saliva is a key vector of transmission. James Ragain, dean of the College of Dentistry at UTHSC, will address transmission routes and controls in dental practice.
Hospital preparedness is one of the most important elements of disaster response.
Many healthcare providers statewide and nationally have raised serious concerns about potential shortages of ICU beds, ventilators, and other resources.
Dr. Nicholas Hysmith will lead this symposium discussion. Hysmith is a medical doctor and professor of pediatrics and infectious disease affiliated with both Le Bonheur and UTHSC.
Memphis is one of the
most at-risk cities in the nation for exceeding its capacity for care. This is due to several factors including low numbers of ICU beds per person and high rates of poverty, uninsured individuals, and chronic health conditions including asthma.
The most recent data analyses show the Memphis area won’t see its peak in COVID-19 cases until May 1, give or take a day. Hospitals and healthcare professionals in Shelby County are bracing for a flood of new patients in the next month.
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