Health Science Center To Host Health Disparities Conference June 2 -4
The first Texas Conference on Health Disparities will be hosted by the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth June 2-4.The conference will feature nationally recognized speakers and experts in health disparities who will highlight the strategies that are currently being used to eliminate health disparities in medically underserved areas.
The conference begins on June 2 at 4 p.m. with registration. The keynote speaker for the evening will be Louis Sullivan, MD, former secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and president of Morehouse School of Medicine.
The second day of the conference begins at 8 a.m. with a continental breakfast, followed by an opening address from Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief. A session focusing on health disparities at the community level will take place from 9 a.m. to noon.
At the noon luncheon Russell Bennett, vice president of UnitedHealthcare Latino Health Solutions, will provide the keynote address, discussing the healthcare industry trends to combat health disparities. The afternoon will include a discussion of border health issues from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The final day of the conference will include discussion of perspectives for the future to eliminate health disparities in Texas and the United States beginning at 9 a.m.
“This is a unique opportunity for practicing physicians, public health professionals, nursing professionals, students and academicians to hear from experts in various aspects of health disparity research, education and community involvement,” said Jamboor Vishwanatha, PhD, associate dean in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and director of the Texas Center for Minority Health, Education, Research and Outreach.
The conference is presented by of the Texas Center for Minority Health, Education, Research and Outreach (EXPORT Center). The EXPORT Center was established when the National Institutes of Health awarded UNT Health Science Center $7.25 million to address the issues of health disparities. The conference is only part of the program, which includes research funding, outreach and education.
“As the newest health disparity center sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, we are excited to host this conference,” Dr. Vishwanatha said.
The conference will provide healthcare workers with continuing education credits. Registration for the event is $99 for community members, $49 for UNTHSC employees and free for students.
For more information about the conference, log on to the EXPORT Center web site at http://www.hsc.unt.edu/HealthDisparities/ and follow the conferences links.
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Contact: Kay Colley 817-735-2553, cell 817-980-5090, e-mail kacolley@hsc.unt.edu.
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