Reader Teleconference is NOW a Podcast
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The digital program, IG Living Advocate Podcast will replace the current Reader Teleconference

The IG Living Advocate Podcast will replace the current Reader Teleconference and will continue to bring you the latest in Immune Globulin news and information from our industry experts.

IG Living Advocate Podcast - Abbie Cornett

Need immediate answers to your questions?
Contact Abbie Cornett, IG Living's Patient Advocate, at acornett@igliving.com or (800) 843-7477, ext 1366.

 

A Sampling of Previous Reader Teleconferences

December 2018

Topic: "How Medicare Covers Immune Globulin for Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases and Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Neuropathy"
Guest speaker: Kris McFalls is a senior reimbursement manager with CSL Behring responsible for helping to resolve complex reimbursement issues that affect patient access to care. She also speaks at patient and professional events on the topic of reimbursement. Kris has been with CSL Behring for nearly seven years. Before CSL, Kris was the patient advocate with IG Living. She has also worked as a volunteer for the Immune Deficiency Foundation. On a personal level, Kris has raised two sons with common variable immunodeficiency and is also a patient with a primary immunodeficiency.

Meeting Highlights

October 2018

Topic: "Proper Nutrition for Immune Deficiency Patients"
Guest speaker: Terry O. Harville, MD, PhD, medical director of the Special Immunology Laboratory at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and a consultant for immunodeficiencies, autoimmunities and transplantation

Meeting Highlights

May 2018

Topic: "Autoimmune Disorders Treated with Immune Globulin Therapy"
Guest speaker: Sue Romanick, MD, Rheumatology Specialist, Bellevue, Wash.

Meeting Highlights

February 2018

Topic: "Immune Globulin (IG) Updates for 2018 and General IG Questions"
Guest speaker: Leslie J. Vaughan, RPh, Senior Vice President of Clinical Programs, Nufactor, Inc.

Meeting Highlights

October 2017

Topic: "How to Advocate for Yourself and/or Your Loved Ones"
Guest speaker: Abbie Cornett, patient advocate for IG Living magazine

Meeting Highlights

June 2017

Topic: "Primary Immunodeficiencies and Comorbities"
Guest speaker: Terry O. Harville, MD, PhD, medical director of the Special Immunology Laboratory at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and a consultant for immunodeficiencies, autoimmunities and transplantation

Meeting Highlights

April 2017

Topic: "Treating IG Side Effects"
Guest speaker: Marc Riedl, MD, MS, board-certified in allergy/immunology and an associate professor of medicine in the division of rheumatology, allergy and immunology at the University of California, San Diego

Meeting Highlights

January 2017

Topic: "How the 21st Century Cures Act Impacts Immune Globulin Reimbursement"
Guest speaker: Leslie J. Vaughan, RPh

Meeting Highlights

September 2016

Topic: "How the 21st Century Cures Act Impacts SCIG Therapy for Patients on Medicare."
Guest speaker: Leslie J. Vaughan, RPh

August 2016

Topic: "IVIG for Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy, Guillain Barré Syndrome and Myositis"
Guest speaker: Todd Levine, MD

Meeting Highlights

May 2016

Topic: "Transitioning to Medicare: What Patients Treated with Immune Globulin Need to Know"
Guest speaker: Leslie Vaughan, RPh, Nufactor Senior Vice President of Clinical Programs

Meeting Highlights

March 2016

Topic: "The Safety of Intravenous and Subcutaneous Immune Globulin Products"
Guest speaker: Keith Berman, MPH, MBA

Meeting Highlights

December 2015

Topic: "Safety, Efficacy, Tolerability, Advantages and Disadvantages of Intravenous and Subcutaneous Immune Globulin Therapy"
Guest speaker: Keith Berman, MPH, MBA

Meeting Highlights

September 2015

Topic: "Immunology Q & A"
Guest speaker: Dr. Marc Riedl.

Meeting Highlights

June 2015

Topic: "IG Therapy and Reimbursement"
Guest speaker: Our expert guest, Leslie Vaughan, RPh, Nufactor Senior Vice President of Clinical Programs, has extensive experience in the clinical management of immune globulin infusions, as well as compliance on insurance and reimbursement issues.

Meeting Highlights

May 2015

Topic: "Advances in Gene Therapy for Primary Immunodeficiencies"
Guest speaker: Caroline Kuo, M.D., clinical instructor of allergy and immunology at the UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, Calif., who specializes in gene therapy research for primary immunodeficiencies.

Meeting Highlights

October 2014

Topic: "Autoimmune Neuropathies"
Reader Teleconference: Facebook Chat in partnership with Neuropathy Association www.facebook.com/NeuropathyAssociation
Guest speaker: Todd Levine, M.D. (Phoenix Neurological Associates); David Saperstein, M.D.(Phoenix Neurological Associates); Michelle Greer, R.N. (reimbursement specialist, Nufactor).

September 2014

Topic: "Exercise Success While Living with Chronic Illness"
Guest speaker: Matt Hansen, DPT, the director of therapy for Harmony Home Health and Hospice in Utah and New Mexico, and president of SOMA Health, LLC, which has produced its first home exercise video designed for individuals of all ages, physical conditions and medical diagnoses (www.freedom2move.org, email address mdhansen@freedom2move.org).

Meeting Highlights

Click on the links below for relevant IG Living articles written by Matt Hansen to follow up on teleconference content:

July 2014

Topic: "What you should know about your disease and infusions as a new patient."
Guest speaker: Leslie Vaughn, RPh
Highlights: Help new patients gain an understanding of their disease and what takes place during an infusion.

June 2014

Topic: "Why Common Variable Immunodeficiency Disease (CVID) Takes So Long to Diagnose"
Guest speaker: Marc Riedl, MD, MS

Meeting Highlights

Click on the links below for relevant IG Living articles to follow up on teleconference content:

May 2014

Topic: "Teens Living with Chronic Illness or Disability."
Guest speaker: Miriam Kaufman, BSN, MD, FRCPC.

Meeting Highlights

April 2014

Topic: "How changes in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) effect people with chronic disease."
Guest speaker: Kris McFalls, manager of reimbursement at CSL Behring, and a previous patient advocate for IG Living magazine.

Meeting Highlights   or visit the IG Resources - Insurance

March 2014

Topic: "Strategies to cope with and adapt to the stress of living with a chronic illness."
Guest speaker: Erika Lawrence, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist and an associate professor of clinical psychology at the University of Iowa. She conducts research of how chronic stressors, such as illness, affects couples and families. In addition, she has a private practice in which she works with individuals, couples and families experiencing depression and anxiety symptoms or simply learning to cope with stress.
Highlights: Techniques in understanding what causes stress and how to deal with them. Getting family and friends on board to understand your illness and how they can support you.

Click on the links below for relevant IG Living articles to follow up on teleconference content:

February 2014

Topic: "PI and the Immune System."
Guest speaker: Marc Riedl, MD, MS, board-certified in allergy/immunology and an associate professor of medicine in the division of rheumatology, allergy and immunology at the University of California, San Diego.
Highlights: Seasonal allergy and asthma how this affects PI patients. The length of effectiveness of IVIG and side effects.

Click on the links below for relevant IG Living articles to follow up on teleconference content:

January 2014

Topic: "The Role of the Pharmacist on your IG Treatment Team."
Guest speaker: Amy Ehlers, BS, PharmD, BCPS, Director of Pharmacy for Nufactor, Inc.
Highlights: The importance of the pharmacist's role during your IG treatments.

Click on the links below for relevant IG Living articles to follow up on teleconference content:

For a free Infusion log and health diary, click here

Click here to read the latest issue of IG Living Magazine.

November 2013

Topic: "Keep a Healthy Immune System with the Help of Probiotics."
Guest speaker: Mindy Hermann, MBA, RDN

Probiotics can help with the body's natural microorganisms and boost the immune system.

Meeting Highlights

To read the latest IG Living article on Probiotics, click on the December-January 2014 Issue

October 2013

Topic: "Demystifying the Transitioning To Medicare"
Guest speaker: Leslie Vaughn, RPh
Highlights: The transition to Medicare can be scary, but it doesn't have to be. Preparing for it in advance can lessen anxiety and eliminate problems.

August 2013

Topic: "Insurance denials and how to prepare an effective appeal."
Guest speaker: Leslie Vaughn, RPh
Highlights: Is it really possible to win? It seems like insurance companies have stacked the deck in their favor to greatly limit what they must cover.

Here are two IG Living articles that you may find helpful as you prepare to submit your insurance appeal.
How to Write an Effective Appeal Letter
Prepared to Appeal - How Readiness Is Next to Healthiness

July 2013

Topic: "Get your PIDD questions answered."
Guest speaker: Terry Harville, MD, PHD
Highlights: Tips on maintaining a full time job while suffering with PIDD. What role does diet play in treating PIDD?

June 2013

Topic: "All you ever wanted to know about IVIG, but didn't know who to ask."
Guest speaker: Michelle Greer, RN
Highlights: IVIG dosing, adminstration, side effects, insurance, and products.

May 2013

Topic: "Healthy Lifestyles and Exercise for the Chronically Ill"
Guest speaker: Matt Hansen
Highlights: How to promote healthy lifestyles and exercise for patients that are challenged with a chronic illness.

March 2013

Topic: "Subcutaneous Immune Globulin Infusions"
Guest speaker: Leslie Vaughn, RPh
Highlights: General topics covered will include basic procedural questions, transitioning from IVIG, mitigating potential side effects, product storage, and insurance concerns.

January 2013

Topic: "IVIG new patients"
Guest speaker: Cindy Vokey, RN
Highlights: What are the issues most new patients face? How can side effects to minimized? How can patient anxiety be reduced?

December 2012

Topic: "Stress of the Holidays"
Guest speaker: Erika Lawrence, PhD
Highlights: How do couples and families cope with and adapt to chronic stressors such as illness, especially during the hectic holiday season?

October 2012

Topic: "Mitigating IG side effects"
Guest speaker: Amy Ehlers, Director of Pharmacy for Nufactor, Inc.
Highlights: What steps can be taken to lessen the side effects reported by patients undergoing IVIG and SCIG.

September 2012

Topic: "Safety and Methods of IG Administration"
Guest speaker: Keith Berman, MPH, MBA, from Health Research Associates
Highlights: What are the current safety measures being taken to ensure safe supply of products? What are the benefits and effectiveness of the various current methods of administration? What new methods are on the horizon?

August 2012

Topic: "Making your pharmacist a valuable member of your healthcare team"
Guest speaker: Amy Ehlers, PharmD, BCPS and pharmacist-in-charge for Nufactor, Inc.
Highlights: What role does the pharmacist play for those with a chronic illness? How can patients better utilize the talents and knowledge of a pharmacist?