American College of Physicians, April 18-20

The annual meeting of the American College of Physicians (Internal Medicine Meeting) was held from April 18 to 20 in Boston and was attended by internists, adult medicine specialists, subspecialists, medical students, and allied health professionals. The conference highlighted recent advances in the prevention, detection, and treatment of illnesses in adults, with presentations focusing primarily on updates in neurology, oncology, infectious diseases, endocrinology, and cardiology.

During one workshop, Gregg D. Simonson, Ph.D., of the International Diabetes Center at HealthPartners Park Nicollet in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, discussed how continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) lead to improved diabetes management and provided internal medicine physicians with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to incorporate CGMs into their practice.

Simonson noted that interpreting and acting on the CGM data and reports is critical for success. As such, the International Diabetes Center HealthPartners Institute created the Ambulatory Glucose Profile report to organize critical CGM metrics and data into a clinically useful single-page report. This allows an individual with diabetes and their care team to quickly determine what actions (i.e., lifestyle and medication changes) might be needed to improve their diabetes management.

During the workshop, all attendees were provided the opportunity to apply a CGM sensor and wear it for 10 to 14 days so they could learn firsthand the usefulness of this technology. Practical CGM tips were provided, including management of skin irritation and techniques to improve sensor adhesion. The attendees were also given detailed information on documentation, billing, and coding for CGMs.

“Workshop attendees received the International Diabetes Center HealthPartners Institute”s Clinician CGM Guided Management (CCGM) of Patients with T2DM on Insulin booklet and instruction on how to use the information and guidelines it contains to effectively manage individuals treated with basal, basal-bolus, or premixed insulin regimens,” Simonson said. “To reinforce key points of the workshop, all participants were provided a CGM Case Study Workbook to complete while working in small groups. Facilitated discussion provided an opportunity to share best practices and ask questions of the faculty.”

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During another presentation, John M. Inadomi, M.D., of the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, provided an update in gastroenterology, including insight on proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), and colorectal cancer screening.