Thursday

Time

Event/Panel

Track 1

10 a.m.-noon

Evaluating medical evidence for journalists

• Instructor: Ivan Oransky, M.D., executive editor, Reuters Health; blogger, Retraction Watch and Embargo Watch [Presentation]
• Instructor: Gary Schwitzer, publisher, HealthNewsReview.org

12:30-2:15 p.m.

The working  journalist's guide to using FOI laws

• Instructor: Charles Davis, Ph.D., associate professor, Missouri School of Journalism [Tip sheet] [Presentation]
• Instructor: Christina Jewett, health and welfare reporter, California Watch and the Center for Investigative Reporting [Presentation]
• Moderator: Felice Freyer, medical writer, The Providence Journal

2:30-4:15 p.m.

See the latest life expectancy trends by county

• Instructor: Ali Mokdad, Ph.D., professor of global health, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington

Track 2
(Track 2 is sponsored by the University of Georgia)

10-11 a.m.

Video the right way

• Instructor: Mark Johnson, senior lecturer, Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Georgia

11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Give them something to talk about

• Matt Thompson, editorial product manager, NPR

12:45-1:45 p.m.

Google tools for health reporters

• Sandra Heikkinen, global communications and public affairs manager, Google Inc. [Presentation]

2-3 p.m.

Working with geeks to tell new stories

• Instructor: Lance Williams, senior reporter, California Watch and the Center for Investigative Reporting [Presentation]

3:15-4:15 p.m.

Entrepreneurial journalism in an all-platform world

• Instructor: Victor Hernandez, news futurist, CNN Worldwide

4:30-5:15 p.m.

Newcomers' welcome

5:30-7 p.m.

Kickoff session: A conversation with President and Mrs. Carter

Friday

9-10:20 a.m.

Moves to address access to dental care

• Shelly Gehshan, M.P.P., director, Pew Children’s Dental Campaign, Pew Center on the States [Presentation]
• Michael Helgeson, D.D.S., chief executive officer, Apple Tree Dental, Coon Rapids, Minn. [Presentation]
• Jeffrey Parker, M.P.A., chief executive officer, Sarrell Dental Center, Anniston, Ala.
• Moderator: David Wahlberg, reporter, Wisconsin State Journal

Is the workplace prepared for an increase in adults with autism?

• Scott Bales, geographic information systems specialist, Environmental Protection Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources
• Ami Klin, Ph.D., director, Marcus Autism Center; professor & chief, Division of Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine
• Scott Standifer, Ph.D., assistant director, Region 7 Technical Assistance and Continuing Education Center; organizer, Autism Works National Conference; clinical associate professor, School of Health Professions, University of Missouri [Presentation & Fact sheet]
• Moderator: Carla K. Johnson, medical writer, The Associated Press

Will Medicare survive the decade? 

• Henry Aaron, Ph.D., senior fellow, Brookings Institution
• Robert E. Moffit, Ph.D., senior fellow, Center for Policy Innovation, The Heritage Foundation
• Tricia Neuman, Sc.D., senior vice president and director, Program on Medicare Policy, Kaiser Family Foundation
• Moderator: Trudy Lieberman, contributing editor, Columbia Journalism Review

The expanding health needs of veterans

• Stella D. Nelms, Ph.D., clinical psychologist, Palliative Medicine, Atlanta VAMC
• Barbara Olasov Rothbaum, Ph.D., professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine; director, Emory Trauma and Anxiety Recovery Program
• Moderator: Joanne Kenen, AHCJ topic leader/health reform; deputy health care editor, PoliticoPro

Is earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer's around the corner?

• Neil Buckholtz, Ph.D., chief, Dementias of Aging Branch, National Institute on Aging [Presentation]
• William Hu, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine [Presentation]
• Allan Levey, M.D., Ph.D., chair, Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine; director, Emory Center for Neurodegenerative Disease [Presentation]
• Moderator: Judith Graham, AHCJ topic leader/aging; independent journalist, Denver

10:40 a.m.-noon

Global health: How a shrinking world means increasing threats

• Paul Emerson, Ph.D., director, Trachoma Control Program; co-director, Malaria Control Program, The Carter Center [Presentation]
• Jeffrey P. Koplan, M.D., M.P.H., vice president for global health, Emory University; director, Emory Global Health Institute
• Venkat Narayan, M.D., Hubert professor, Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University [Presentation]
• Moderator: Maryn McKenna, independent journalist, Atlanta

Identifying disparities in diagnosis and treatment

• Vladimir N. Cadet, M.P.H., clinical writer/analyst, ECRI Institute [Presentation]
• Beatrice Gee, M.D., F.A.A.P., associate professor, clinical pediatrics, Morehouse School of Medicine; medical director, Sickle Cell and Hematology Program, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta [Presentation]
• Theresa Gillespie, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine and Winship Cancer Institute [Presentation]
• Moderator: Carrie Teegardin, reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Future of artificial intelligence in patient care

• Michael A. Covington, Ph.D., associate director, Institute for Artificial Intelligence, University of Georgia [Presentation]
• Martin Kohn, M.D., chief medical scientist, IBM [Presentation]
• Fred Trotter, patient hacktivist, Cautious Patient Foundation
• Moderator: Antonio Regalado, business editor, Technology Review

Freelance: Pitches that are a hit with editors

• Christine Gorman, health editor, Scientific American
• Richard Kirkner, editor-in-chief, Optometry Times, Advanstar Communications
• Brendan Maher, feature editor, Nature
• Anna Maltby, associate health editor, Self
• Moderator: Colleen Paretty, executive editor, WebMD Magazine

Seeing through the rhetoric in health reform debates

• J. Michael Brewer, president, Lockton Benefit Group
• John Rother, president, National Coalition on Health Care [Presentation]
• Michael W. Wagner, assistant professor, Department of Political Science and College of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of Nebraska [Presentation]
• Moderator: Noam Levey, staff writer, Los Angeles Times

1:20-5 p.m.

Freelance PitchFest

• Valarie Basheda, senior editor, WebMD
• Mary Carter, senior editor/health, WebMD
• David Corcoran, editor, Science Times
• Peter Dykstra, publisher, Environmental Health News and The Daily Climate
• John Fairhall, editor in chief, Kaiser Health News
• Denise Fulton, executive editor, IMNG Medical Media
• Peggy Girshman, editor, Kaiser Health News
• Christine Gorman, senior editor, Scientific American; representing the web site and magazine as well as Scientific American Mind
• Lena Huang, editorial director, CURE Magazine
• Richard Kirkner, editor-in-chief, Optometry Times, Advanstar Communications
• Brendan Maher, feature editor, Nature
• Anna Maltby, associate health editor, SELF Magazine
• Marcy O'Koon Moss, editor in chief, Arthritis Today
• Ivan Oransky , M.D., executive editor, Reuters Health
• Colleen Paretty, executive editor, WebMD Magazine
• Joy Taylor, editor, Allhealthcarejobs.com
• Organizer: Jeanne Erdmann, independent journalist, Wentzville, Mo.

1:20-2:40 p.m.

Mental health: Integrating behavioral health with primary care

• John Bartlett, M.D., M.P.H., senior project adviser, Primary Care Initiative, Carter Center Mental Health Program [Presentation]
• Larry Fricks, deputy director, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Health Resources Services Administration Center for Integrated Health Solutions; director, Appalachian Consulting Group
• Parinda Khatri, Ph.D., director of integrated care, Cherokee Health Systems [Presentation]
• Moderator: Joanne Silberner, independent journalist, Seattle

What's the future for primary care?

• Frank Don Diego, M.D., family practitioner; academic chair, combined Floyd Medical Center Allopathic and Osteopathic Family Medicine Residencies [Presentation]
• David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., director, The Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine [Presentation]
• Barbara L. Schuster, M.D., campus dean, Georgia Health Sciences University, University of Georgia Medical Partnership [Presentation]
• Moderator: Andy Miller, editor, Georgia Health News

Hepatitis: New battle lines in war on silent killer

• Matthew Herper, senior editor, Forbes
• Samir Parekh, M.D., assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine
• Andi Thomas, president, HealthPro Solutions
• John Ward, M.D., director, Viral Hepatitis Program, CDC [Presentation]
• Moderator: Scott Hensley, Shots blog writer and editor, NPR

A reporter's guide to medical decision making

• Michael J. Barry, M.D., president, Informed Medical Decisions Foundation [Presentation]
• Clarissa Hsu, Ph.D., research associate, Center for Community Health and Evaluation, Group Health Research Institute [Presentation]
• Joe Selby, M.D., M.P.H., executive director, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
• Moderator: Gideon Gil, health and science editor, The Boston Globe

2:40-3:40 p.m.

Drawings and a snack

3:40-5 p.m.

How will citizen scientists impact medicine?

• Katherine Leon, patient advocate and member of Inspire's WomenHeart Support Community
• Barry Silverman, M.D., Mark Silverman chair of cardiac education, the Piedmont Heart Institute [Presentation]
• Paul Root Wolpe, Ph.D., director, Center for Ethics, Emory University
• Moderator: Alicia Chang, science writer, The Associated Press

Neuroplasticity 101: It really is all in your head

[Tip sheet]

• Cathrin Buetefisch, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine [Presentation]
• Stuart W. Hoffman, Ph.D., Scientific Program Manager for Brain Injury, Rehabilitation Research and Development Service
• Michael J. Kuhar, Ph.D., researcher, Yerkes National Primate Research Center; Candler professor of neuropharmacology, Emory University School of Medicine [Presentation]
• Paul J. Nussbaum, Ph.D., adjunct professor of neurological surgery; University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine [Presentation]
• Moderator: Eileen Beal, independent journalist, Cleveland

Global effort on HIV/AIDS: Lessons learned

• Susan Allen, Ph.D., professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, Emory University School of Medicine; professor, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University
• Paula Frew, Ph.D., M.A., M.P.H., assistant professor, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education; director of community research and assistant professor, Emory University School of Medicine
• Jonathan Mermin, M.D., M.P.H., director, HIV/AIDS Prevention Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Presentation]
• Moderator: Dan DeNoon, senior medical writer, WebMD

Medicaid: Covering cost-cutting efforts and impact of health reform

• Matt Salo, executive director, National Association of Medicaid Directors
• David Tatum, vice president, government and community affairs, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
• Christine Vestal, senior writer, Stateline, Pew Center on the States
• Moderator: Phil Galewitz, senior correspondent, Kaiser Health News

Broadcast recap: Turning the day’s sessions into stories

• Jeff Baillon, investigative reporter, KMSP-Minneapolis
• Cal Callaway, managing editor, WAGA-Atlanta
• Kelley Weiss, broadcast reporter, CHCF Center for Health Reporting
• Moderator: Andrew Holtz, M.P.H., independent journalist, Portland, Ore.

5:20-6:20 p.m.

Membership meeting

Come hear about AHCJ's latest efforts from your elected board.

Saturday

9-10:20 a.m.

Diabetes' impact on diverse populations 

• Connie Crawley, M.S., R.D., L.D., nutrition and health specialist, The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension [Presentation]
• Janice P. Lea, M.D., M.Sc., F.A.S.N., professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Renal Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine [Presentation]
• Rita J. Louard M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.E., director, Clinical Diabetes Program - Moses Campus, Montefiore Medical Center; associate professor of clinical medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine [Presentation]
• Moderator: Yanick Rice Lamb, editor-at-large, Heart & Soul, associate professor, Howard University Department of Journalism

Are your local hospitals targeting health care-acquired conditions?

• Karen Adams, Ph.D., vice president, National Quality Forum [Presentation]
• Sarah R. Callahan, M.H.S.A., project director, NAPH Safety Network National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems [Presentation]
• Eugene Litvak, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer, Institute for Healthcare Optimization [Presentation]
• Joseph McCannon, senior adviser to the administration, group director for learning and diffusion, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
• Moderator: Mark Taylor, independent journalist, Chicago

Food safety: Getting beyond the annual scare

• Christopher Braden, M.D., director, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Presentation]
• Caroline Smith DeWaal, J.D., food safety director, Center for Science in the Public Interest [Presentation]
• Gale Prince, president, Sage Food Safety Consultants [Presentation]
• Moderator: Deborah Schoch, senior writer, CHCF Center for Health Reporting

Economic determinants of child health

• Kathleen Adams, Ph.D., professor, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University; health economist, Division of Reproductive Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Presentation]
• Rishi Manchanda, M.D., M.P.H., founder, HealthBegins [Presentation]
• Andrew Racine, M.D., Ph.D., chief of general pediatrics, The Children's Hospital at Montefiore
• Moderator: Barbara Feder Ostrov, deputy editor, ReportingOnHealth.org

Freelance: Having a social media presence

• Scott Hensley, Shots blog writer and editor, NPR
• Serena Marshall, independent journalist, Washington D.C.
• Maryn McKenna, independent journalist, Atlanta
• Moderator: Lisa Zamosky, independent journalist, Los Angeles

Translational research: Tracking a drug or therapy through the process

• Nikhil Khushalani, M.D., associate professor of oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute [Presentation]
• Donald Stein, Ph.D., Asa G. Candler Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine [Presentation]
• Moderator: Eric Rosenthal, independent journalist, Philadelphia

10:30-11:30 a.m.

Newsmaker briefing

• Janet Woodcock, M.D., director, FDA Center for Drug Research and Evaluation [Presentation]

11:40 a.m.-1:40 p.m.

Awards luncheon

Keynote speaker: Otis Brawley, M.D., chief medical and scientific officer, American Cancer Society

1:40-2:40 p.m.

Drawings and a snack

2:40-4 p.m.

New understandings in the science of addiction and treatment

• Mark S. Gold, M.D., distinguished professor and chair of psychiatry, University of Florida College of Medicine [Presentation]
• James MacKillop, Ph.D., director, Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology Laboratory; associate professor, Department of Psychology; associate director, Owens Institute for Behavioral Research, University of Georgia [Presentation]
• Nora Volkow, M.D., director, National Institute on Drug Abuse [Presentation]
• Moderator: Stacey Singer, staff writer, The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post

Role of faith communities in promoting health care and wellness

• Miriam J. Burnett, M.D., M.Div., M.P.H., president, Resource And Promotion of Health Alliance Inc.
• Melinda Mayton, R.N., M.S.N., nurse, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta; president and chief executive officer, Blue Skies Ministries
• Monica W. Parker, M.D., assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Emory University School of Medicine
• Moderator: Nina Hemphill-Reeder, section editor, Upscale

Award winners speak [Brandon Stahl Presentation]

• Moderator, Julie Appleby, senior correspondent, Kaiser Health News

The politics of state insurance exchanges

• Heather Howard, director, State Health Reform Assistance Network; CHW affiliate, Center for Health & Wellbeing, Princeton University [Presentation]
• Joshua Sharfstein, M.D., secretary, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
• Moderator: Joanne Kenen, AHCJ topic leader/health reform; deputy health care editor, PoliticoPro

Health in all policies

• Harry J. Heiman, M.D., M.P.H., director, health policy, The Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine [Presentation]
• David Howard, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University
• Aaron Wernham, M.D., director, Health Impact Project, Pew Health Group [Presentation]
• Moderator: Mike Stobbe, staff writer, The Associated Press

4:20-5:40 p.m.

Freelance: Mapping successful business plans and models

[Panel Presentation]

• Lola Butcher, independent journalist, Springfield, Mo.
• Andrea King Collier, independent journalist, Lansing, Mich.
• Irene M. Wielawski, independent Journalist, Pound Ridge, N.Y.
• Moderator: Heather Boerner, independent journalist, San Francisco

Broadcast recap: Turning the day’s sessions into stories

• Jeff Baillon, investigative reporter, KMSP-Minneapolis
• Andrew Holtz, M.P.H., independent journalist, Portland, Ore.

State crackdowns: Who is caring for undocumented immigrants?

• Sonal Ambegaokar, health policy attorney, National Immigration Law Center [Presentation]
• Samantha Artiga, associate director, Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation [Presentation]
• Flavia Mercado, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine & Grady Health System
• Moderator: Kelley Weiss, broadcast reporter, CHCF Center for Health Reporting

Humans, animals, ecosystems: Covering the “One Health” movement

• Lisa Conti, D.V.M., M.P.H., director, One Health Solutions
• Susan Sanchez, Ph.D., professor, Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia
• Gonzalo M. Vazquez-Prokopec, Ph.D., research associate, Department of Environmental Studies, Emory University
• Moderator: Kathleen M. Raven, independent journalist, Athens, Ga.

Health technology hazards to watch for in your community this year

• Marjorie Funk, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.H.A., F.A.A.N., professor, Yale University School of Nursing [Presentation]
• Eric S. Sacks, director, Healthcare Product Alerts, ECRI Institute [Presentation]
• Paul Spearman, M.D., chief research officer, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta; professor, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine [Presentation]
• Moderator: Gideon Gil, health and science editor, The Boston Globe

Overcoming "fat fatigue" in our reporting

• Bryan McCullick, Ph.D., professor of kinesiology, University of Georgia [Presentation]
• Stephanie Walsh, M.D., medical director of child wellness, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta; associate professor at Emory School of Medicine [Presentation]
• Mark Wulkan, M.D., surgeon-in-chief, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta; professor, Departments of Surgery and Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine
• Moderator: Hannah Wolfson, staff writer, The Birmingham (Ala.) News

Sunday

HOW-TO SUNDAY

Designed to give you skills and resources you can take home and use right away.

9-10:20 a.m.

Handling the explosion of hospital quality data

• Instructor: Ashish K. Jha, M.D., M.P.H., C. Boyden Gray Associate Professor, Harvard School of Public Health; staff physician, Veterans Health Administration [Presentation] 
• Instructor: Charles Ornstein, senior reporter, ProPublica [Tip sheet I] [Tip sheet II]

From story ideas to sources: Finding hidden gems in PubMed

• Instructor: Robert A. Logan, Ph.D., communication research scientist, National Library of Medicine [Presentation]
• Instructor: Ivan Oransky, M.D., executive editor, Reuters Health; blogger, Retraction Watch and Embargo Watch

Freelance: Managing workflow and workload

• Instructor: Maryn McKenna, independent journalist, Atlanta [Presentation]
• Instructor: Paul Raeburn, independent journalist, New York
• Instructor: Irene Wielawski, independent journalist, Pound Ridge, N.Y.

10:40 a.m.-noon

Cracking the code on hospital finances

• Instructor: Keith Hearle, founder and president, Verité Healthcare Consulting
• Instructor: Karl Stark, health and science editor, The Philadelphia Inquirer [Presentation]

Taking multimedia beyond slideshows

• Instructor: Gregory Warner, senior reporter, Marketplace, American Public Radio

Online health data to tap for project ideas

• Instructor: Bridget Catlin, Ph.D., M.H.S [Presentation]
• David Radley, Ph.D., M.P.H., senior analyst, The Commonwealth Fund [Presentation]