S5 - E13.2 - Global Fatty Liver Day 2024 And The Rationale Behind "Act Now. Get Screened."

Surfing the MASH Tsunami

This conversation centers around the Global Fatty Liver Day 2024 theme and the rationale behind focusing on screening.
It starts with Jeff describing how much has changed in MASLD in the past year and why this calls for a new focus. Jeff identifies the breadth of the global challenge of treating MASLD and related conditions, which is far broader than "just having one medicine for one aspect of the disease in one country." To Jeff and GLI, the best immediate path forward is to bring more patients into the system through screening, which provides the rationale for GLI's theme for the day, "Act Now. Get Screened."

Roger states that this effort will drop a large number of patients "in the top of the funnel," and notes that earlier podcasts demonstrate limited adoption of clinical care pathways or other ways to manage an increased patient volume. He asks Jeff where the care pathway issue fits in the "Act Now. Get Screened" vision. Jeff states this is an issue for the entire field, not just patients, and that the field needs to collaborate on a turnkey way for PCPs to screen easily.

Roger describes the concern raised Naim Alkhouri (Season 4, Episode 50.3) that the current clinical care pathway approach might create chaos in the system. Also, Roger asks whether US reimbursement policy is far enough along for the various actors to participate. Roger asks about the most effective action that patients and advocates can take. Jeff replies, "Get Screened."

Mike Betel suggests that while this may be an issue for the entire field, he believes the onus for keeping this issue in front of providers must come from patients assertively asking questions and seeking support. Jeff agrees, but describes the relationship between patient and provider in this case as "symbiotic."