Join us on November 6, 2025, at the Adler Health Education Center for the 2025 Quad Cities Area APN-PA Alliance Conference. We welcome all providers, pharmacists, other clinicans and students.

Annual membership in the Quad Cities Area Nurse Practitioner / Physician Associate Alliance is included with your registration!

Statement of Need and Purpose

Advanced Practice Nurses, Physician Associates, Pharmacists, and other interprofessional healthcare team members play a critical role in delivering comprehensive, patient-centered care. However, several persistent professional practice gaps and limit optimal patient outcomes across healthcare settings.

This conference is designed to address these gaps:

1. Limited integration of evidence-based approaches to mental health, nutrition, and supplement use
Although supplement use is highly prevalent among patients, providers often lack clarity regarding safety, efficacy, and potential drug–supplement interactions. Previous learner feedback and evaluations identified a need for more education in holistic, integrative, and alternative medicine approaches, particularly related to mental health and nutrition.

The literature indicates that over half of the general population uses dietary supplements, yet many are not FDA-approved for specific conditions and may present safety concerns or interactions, highlighting a significant provider knowledge gap in managing these. In addition, dietary patterns and gut microbiota have been linked to mental health outcomes, reinforcing the need for provider education in emerging, nontraditional treatment.

2. Knowledge and performance gaps in patient- and caregiver-centered care for cognitive disorders
Current care models emphasize diagnosis and treatment but often fail to address quality of life, caregiver support, and culturally responsive care.

3. Deficits in knowledge of pelvic floor and urogynecologic disorders and evolving treatment strategies
Pelvic floor disorders affect a significant portion of women (approximately 1 in 4), yet providers report limited confidence in diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment planning. There is underutilization of early intervention and low-risk management approaches.

4. Gaps in integrating emerging innovations (e.g., AI, microbiome science) into clinical practice
Rapid advancements in healthcare technologies and science have outpaced clinician familiarity and application in practice.

5. Inconsistent interprofessional communication and collaboration
Healthcare teams report challenges in clearly defining roles, coordinating care, and communicating effectively, which impacts patient safety and outcomes.

This educational activity will empower attendees with actionable, evidence-based strategies and clinical “pearls” to improve diagnostic accuracy, treatment planning, and patient outcomes. The conference will also discuss emerging innovations in clinical practice. Throughout the conference working together and communication among the healthcare team will be emphasized, By bridging these knowledge gaps, the conference aims to foster greater confidence and competence in everyday practice..

Elements of Competence

This educational activity is designed to change learner competence and focuses on the following competencies:

• Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)/Nursing: Medical Knowledge     
• National Academy of Medicine (NAM)/Nursing: Providing Patient/Person-Centered Care and Employing Evidence-Based Practice
• Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE): Providing Patient-Centered Care
• Interprofessional Education Collaborative Competencies: Communication and Teams & Teamwork
• Impact and Social Belonging: Addressing Differences in Health Outcomes and Valuing Culturally Centered Care