St. Vincent's Medical Center and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) are co-sponsoring a free Diabetes Symposium for the third year. The event is scheduled for Thursday, November 16th from 7:45am–12:30pm at the William H. Pitt Health & Recreation Center at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield. The Symposium will include programs for both professionals and patients and will provide the latest findings on the diagnosis and management of diabetes.

The Patient Program will feature St. Vincent's Director of Bariatric Surgery, Timothy Ehrlich, MD, FACP, who will answer the question "Can Weight Loss Surgery Cure Diabetes?", Medical Nutrition Therapist and Greenwich Hospital Certified Diabetes Educator, Nancy Ryan, MS, RD, CDE, CD-N, who will speak on "Nutrition for the Diabetic", as well as an A1 C Champion Speaker who will explain, "Diabetes: The Inside Perspective".

The Professional Program will feature the very latest innovations in the treatment of Diabetes with speakers William A. Petit, Jr., MD, FACP, FACE, Medical Director of the Joslin Diabetes Center who will speak on "Inhaled Insulin",  Nicholas Abourizk, MD, Chief of Diabetes and Endocrinology at St. Francis Hospital, who will speak on the "Use of Insulin in Hospitalized Patients", and Egils Bogdanovics, MD, Medical Director of the Hungerford Diabetes Center, who will explain the "Use of Incretins in Diabetes".

St. Vincent's President and CEO Susan Davis, RN, EdD, and Chief of Endocrinology Joseph Rosa, MD will give a welcome address, and at the conclusion, awards will be presented to American Diabetes Association volunteers who have shown outstanding dedication to the cause.  Coordinators of the event are Michael Herman, MD, Chairperson of the Department of Medicine at St. Vincent's, and Diane Creed, Marketing Director for the ADA.

A question and answer session will be offered at both programs. Breakfast will also be provided.

Continuing education credits will be provided to physician and nurse attendees of the program.  The symposium has been approved by St. Vincent's Medical Center for a maximum of 3 credit hours in Category 1 toward the AMA PRA™.  Nurses will receive 3 CME credits. 

To register or for more information, call the Fairfield ADA Field Office at 203-264-1920 or the St. Vincent's Care Line at 1-877-255-SVHS (7847).