Thursday, March 12, 2009 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Mercy Medical Center Spring/Fall Room

This seminar will focus on diagnosis, causes, triggers, as well as management of asthma through education and medication. Each attendee will leave with the tools necessary to develop a personal asthma action plan.

It is reported that approximately 20 Million Americans have asthma. (1) Asthma accounts for approximatley 24.5 million missed work days for adults annually. (1) In 2004 there were 13.6 million physician office visits and 1 million outpatient department visits due to asthma. (2) In addition asthma accounts for one-quarter of all emergency room visits in the US each year with 2 million emergency room visits in 2001.(3)

Because of these statistics Saltzer Medical Group, Mercy Medical Center, Southwest District Health, West Valley Medical Center and Praxair are joining forces to provide free education and resources for our community.

Michael Dee, MD of Saltzer Medical Group strongly recommends members of our community to come to this free seminar opportunity to get information about the diagnosis of asthma, free screeening tests, asthma management information and prescription assistance help.

Dr. Dee, MD said – Asthma is a chronic, long-term lung disease that affects people of all ages. It is a frequent cause of wheezing, shortness of breath and nighttime and early morning cough. In the United States, there are more than 22,000,000 who have known asthma.

Saltzer Medical Group internist Christopher Henson, MD believes Asthma symptoms do not always correlate with progression of disease, therefore Pulmunary Function Tests are very useful in managing asthma

Asthma rates for children are also on the rise. Asthma rates in children under the age of five increased 160% from 1980 – 1994 (4)

Pediatrician, Tom Patterson, MD states – Asthma is under estimated on many fronts, but we know that at least one child in every first grade class has asthma. There have been so many advancements in asthma and more are on the way. Asthma does not have to limit your life. Live life to the fullest with asthma control.

Presenters for this seminar are some of the best Idaho has to offer. Carl Rizzo, and Tom Foster, both Respiratory Therapists, are the only two asthma educators in Canyon County. With their wealth of experience you’re sure to learn something new, and with their sense of humor you are certain to have a good time.

Carl Rizzo is a clinic and Hospital based Respiratory Therapist/ Pulmonary Function Technologist/ Asthma Educator/ Smoking Cessation counselor. He specializes in Pulmonary Function testing and asthma education, but is very active in smoking cessation counseling as well as patient care both in the hospital and clinic. He has previously been involved with tar wars in the schools to educate children not to smoke before they start. Carl is currently starting the TATU, (Teens Against Tobacco Use), in Canyon County to teach high school young adults to become mentors for grade school age children to not begin smoking. Carl has lived and worked in the Treasure Valley for twenty five years, and has been an RT a good portion of that time.

Tom Foster is a certified respiratory therapist and the director of respiratory therapy/sleep lab at West Valley Medical Center in Caldwell. He has 21 years of respiratory therapy experience and is an influential member of several professional organizations and educational institutions. Previously he worked for Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center as a staff respiratory therapist in 1987 and at Holy Rosary Medical Center in Oregon as a pulmonary rehabilitation specialist/staff respiratory therapist from 1987 to 2000.

To register for the event, please call Southwest District Health at 455-5343.

(1) American Lung Association. Epidemiology & statistics Unit, Research and Program Services. Trends in Asthma Morbidity and Mortality May 2005
(2) CDC Fast Facts A-Z. Vital Health Statistics, 2003
(3) “New Asthma Estimates: Tracking Prevalence, Health Care and Mortality,” NCHS, CDC, 2001.
(4) Centers for Disease Control. Surveillance for Asthma – United States, 1960-1995, MMWR. 1998; 47 (SS-1).
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