The following information is about the 1st Annual National Patient Sleep Conference to be held in Minnesota in October, hosted by TalkAboutSleep.com.  The information is quoted from their website.  For more information click on the following link:

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2006 National Patient Sleep Conference
Location:
Hilton Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport Mall of America
3800 American Boulevard East
Bloomington, Minnesota 55425-1658
Hotel Phone: 952-854-2100

Dates:
October 27-29, 2006

 
Overview
TalkAboutSleep is pleased to announce that we are hosting the Inaugural National Patient Sleep Conference.

This first of a kind gathering will include sleep patients and their families along with a variety of sleep experts and representatives within the sleep industry. The intent of this meeting will be to both share and learn from our personal and professional experiences within sleep and demonstrate the empowerment that only such a collective can provide. This experience will be arrived at through a series of general and focused lectures as well as afternoon breakout sessions that will insure a high degree of interaction and exchange.
An exhibit area will be available to provide all attendees with exposure to a wide range of sleep products and services.

Additional details on hotel and conference registration, speakers and itinerary will be posted as soon as it becomes available.




Linda
Updated by Sleepapnea_Ed

http://www.talkaboutsleep.com/message-boards/viewtopic.php?t=17205&sid=b7cd53636e3277dcedd256bffe3cfcce

Wm Dement to speak at the conference.

I am interested in learning more about this upcoming Sleep Conference in Minnesota sponsored by the Talk about Sleep organization. I am trying to determine how worthwhile this would be from a substantive content standpoint.  I don't want to come all the way from Boston and just find a marketing fair of alot of new products that I don't really need.  There are some big names listed, but I don't see much in the way of hard content at least not online.   Boston is a center of academic medicine and research and there are things going on here all the time. Is this worth travelling to?   I know it would be great to meet some of my fellow travellers in the quest for sleep, so we could stay up all night together (!) telling stories, but what about the substance of this thing? Any thoughts? Thanks.


Ron in Massachusetts

Ron,
Your questions about the National Patient Sleep Conference are great ones and I wanted to reply personally.  My organization, Talk About Sleep, is hosting this event at the request of patients like yourself who want the opportunity to continue the education process relating to our own personal sleep disorders.  For most of us, sleep apnea is for life.  So we must take it upon ourselves to learn all we can, keep up with the latest and greatest equipment and treatment options offered and to learn the latest cutting edge research findings concerning our disorders.

Dr. Rapoport was chosen by the ASAA to present a compelling and thorough lecture for the apnea patient.  

Bring a copy of your sleep study report for our Saturday morning lecture Understanding your Sleep Study Report.  This was our number one request when we polled our membership asking what they want to learn at the conference!

As to the exhibit area, it will offer many people the first opportunity they have ever had to actually see and touch the new machines and masks that are available to us patients.  Too often, local home health care companies only carry one or two brands and so we patients are denied the chance to see a full line of offerings.  Many people are struggling with compliance issues that might be solved by choosing a different mask or machine.  As you know, mask choice is key to cpap success.  Mask fitting workshops will be available and product managers and equipment experts will be available for each attendee to ask questions and get accurate answers.  The major manufacturers will be there, but so will the smaller companies like TeleFlex Medical, Sleep-Net and Hoffman Labs who will show thier new Breathe X portable cpap.  Hans Rudolph company masks will be represented and on display.

We also will offer lectures on Dental Sleep Medicine which offers yet another choice for some apnea patients.  Dental appliance manufacturers will be there to show their products.  Its one thing to read about them online but quite another to actually hear a lecture from a physician expert and then have the opportunity to see the dental appliances in person.

In addition, Respironics and ResMed are each providing a Saturday evening dinner symposium which will cover, in detail, the problems and solutions with cpap compliance.  These two programs are offered free to the attendees.

Invacare is kicking off the event by hosting our Friday night registration and Meet and Greet Social event which will include food, drink, live entertainment and the special opportunity to meet your fellow patients.  Many people who have become online friends through message boards like this one and ours at talkaboutsleep.com will finally meet face to face.  

ASAA will participate in the apnea presentations as well.  Meet Ed Grandi, Executive Driector of the ASAA.  Workshops will be provided to learn more about A.W.A. K.E. and other offerings provided by the ASAA.  Medic Alert Foundation will present and explain the importance of their program.  The ADA will tell us about patient rights.  Lawyers will lecture on topic of disability, do we qualify, what is involverd in the process of filing for disability.

Another great reason to join in this event is the diversity of our program.  It is very common for people to have multiple sleep disorders.  I have Apnea dnd RLS.  This conference will allow those of us with more than one sleep disorder to sit in on a variety of sleep lectures.  Seasonal Affective Disorder ( SAD) is a very common circadian rhythm disorder which effects millions - we are offering sessions on several circadian rhythm disorders and their treatment solutions.
Fibromyalgia is another common sleep related disorder that will be covered in our conference.  Narcolepsy, Insomnia and Hypersomnia presentations will all be offered.

Each attendee will receive a tote bag chock full of educational material AND a workbook that in my opinion, will be woth the price of admission in and of itself.  It will include all of the power point presentations offered by each speaker.  We do this so you will be able to take home the valuable information learned at the conference.  It will include contact information for many of the exhibitors.  We want you to enjoy the lectures and by providing this information in print form, you won't need to worry about taking profuse notes!

Dr. William Dement will be our final speaker on Sunday morning.  What a rare opportunity and special treat it will be for all of us to meet the "thater of sleep medicine".  Many of you have read his book THE PROMISE OF SLEEP.  If you have one, bring it and Dr. Dement can autograph it for you.  His lecture will include the history of sleep medicine.

A conference like this would not be possible without the support of the commercial sleep community and we are very thankful to them for providing this opportunity to all of you.  This conference was created at the request of patients for patients.  It is the first of its kind and our organization is proud to bring it to you.  We hope you and others will join in this inaugural event, and when you leave I hope you will say, "wow, that was great, I can't wait to come back next year"  

We do hope you will join us.  Feel free to call or email me with any further questions
tnasca@talkaboutsleep.com    866-657-5337


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Tracy