The Get in Rhythm. Stay in Rhythm.® Atrial Fibrillation Patient Conference changes lives every year. Will it change yours?
You’re Invited to Purchase Access to the Recordings of the Premier Conference for Those Living with Afib.
Discover What’s Happening at the Forefront of Research and Treatment, So You Can Start Taking Control of Your Health and Life.
Join hundreds of other afib patients and their family members who have gotten the very latest information and begun finding their solutions. You could find yours, too.
It IS possible to manage your afib and enjoy your life again! When you watch the recordings of the three-day conference, we’ll show you how.
Mellanie True Hills
Founder, StopAfib.org
Our annual Get in Rhythm. Stay in Rhythm.® Atrial Fibrillation Patient Conference is exceptional—and effective—because we plan every last detail with you in mind.
It’s a labor of love. We are passionate about you finding your afib solution, and we’re thrilled every time someone tells us they are managing their afib or living afib free as a result of what they learned from the conference.
That’s why I’m willing to travel the country (even the world) to find the very latest in afib research and treatment, and faculty members who are the créme de la créme.
While everyone experiences afib differently, our goal is for you to get patient-centered information, in patient-friendly language, to help you find your solution.
During sessions, you’ll hear from the experts (in some cases, even before your doctors have heard what they’re sharing).
Watching the recordings can give you the ability to change your life … just as so many others have!
Imagine Finding a Single Piece of Information, or a Single Procedure, or a Single Piece of Expert Advice That Empowers You to Get Back to the Way You Were Before Afib Disrupted Your Life!
- Imagine doing the things you love—exercising, making and keeping plans, and finishing normal daily tasks (like laundry, chores, and shopping)—without a second thought.
- Imagine going to work and actually being able to concentrate, instead of being preoccupied with your afib.
- Imagine knowing the best options for your treatment, how to best communicate with your healthcare team, and confidently charting out your plan.
- Imagine being active, managing your weight, and not visiting the hospital regularly.
- Imagine experiencing a significant decrease in afib-related stress and anxiety, because you found your solution.
Imagine getting back to truly living, rather than just existing.
Every year, people tell us the Get in Rhythm. Stay in Rhythm.® Atrial Fibrillation Patient Conference gave them hope and a sense of relief as they identified ways to get their lives back. Here are some comments from folks who joined us in recent years.
“I attended the virtual conference last year and in person this year just to have the availability to ask questions and interact directly with the speakers. I mean, this whole room was full of resources. And boy, I took advantage of it every chance I got. I’m now empowered with the knowledge of what to ask. I’m my own advocate, and that’s the biggest takeaway.”
“I felt relieved and more confident in proceeding with my healthcare team. I wish I had the knowledge prior to my own ablation, but thankful I went through it early!”
“I was terrified of the disease, but this conference has empowered me to stop being in denial and set forth a plan with my EP.”
“I gained a better understanding of the full range of treatment options, especially regarding surgical options, which had not been presented to me by my cardiologist or EP.”
“I have an appointment scheduled with my EP next month to discuss my future plans and current symptoms, which I have been afraid to do until now.”
“I was in the hospital after the conference. I was much more able to understand them and ask intelligent questions.”
“This was invaluable before my appointment with the EP. I now have a good list of questions.”
“This conference changed my life … it gave me my answer. I had a mini-maze. I’m here today afib free, medication free, here to help anybody else I can.”
During the conference, our livestream host Eliz interviews those who have joined us live. We love hearing about how the conference has given them information and confidence to take control of their treatment. When you purchase access to the recordings, you’ll be able to watch this year’s interviews, too.
You Don’t Have to Live with Ever-Present Worry and Stress. You CAN Manage Your Afib, Possibly Getting Rid of It Altogether, and Get Your Life Back.
By next year’s conference, you could be sharing YOUR story of discovering new information that helped you take control of your treatment or eliminate your afib! This can be your reality … and you can do it all without obsessing over your afib.
How?
Purchase access to the recordings of the 2024 Get in Rhythm. Stay in Rhythm.® Atrial Fibrillation Patient Conference, where you’ll hear from the top researchers, cardiologists, electrophysiologists, surgeons, and other specialists at the leading edge of afib.
“Great lineup! Very professional conference. Excellent conference, as it has been for the three years I have attended.”
“I was fixated for three days! Best conference ever!!”
“My husband and I are more impressed each year! The speakers are always world class, and the entire conference is handled with professionalism and great care. Mellanie is a true hero for her tireless work in this field. We are all so very fortunate to have these amazing resources in one place. Life changing for anyone taking advantage of this wealth of knowledge. I know it was for me!! I never would have had that kind of access to top doctors so easily. I am so grateful for his wonderful care! Thank you all!!”
“I have never been able to experience the exposure to a doctor who is sincerely as concerned about my health as these doctors are. And being on location with them is extremely beneficial, an extra bonus if you will, worth every bit of the money.”
“Come to a [conference] like this, take charge of your health, find out what other options are available. One, it’ll give you hope, and two, there’s a good chance you can do something that’ll make you feel better.”
“So impressed that the doctors took their time to come and teach us about afib; impressed at their respect for Mellanie. It’s nice to be able to talk to doctors outside of an office. Speakers were excellent, as well as venue, food, etc.”
“I can’t think of anything to make the conference better. It was outstanding! I would strongly encourage others to attend.”
According to the American Heart Association, the U.S. will have 12.1 million people living with afib—the most common arrhythmia—by 2030.
We offer the Get in Rhythm. Stay in Rhythm.® Atrial Fibrillation Patient Conference each year because technology advances and our knowledge about afib changes, so you need to know about the latest in afib treatment.
We see what a difference it makes when you have the latest information—much of it new each year. It’s invaluable!
Because of it, people come back year after year—from around the globe.
In fact, Bill Hyde attends annually and mentioned that the reason he does is that our faculty members—the innovators in afib—present new treatment options each time. (These are often treatment options they developed.)
Sometimes, we even ask our faculty to talk about subjects on which they are experts, but have not yet spoken about at medical conferences. This means you get to hear about these subjects even before their doctor colleagues do!
It’s also an opportunity for folks to ask their questions of the innovators who are pushing the boundaries of afib research and treatment. When you purchase access to the conference recordings, you’ll hear faculty members’ answers to questions from others living with afib.
“Do a lot of research; come to this patient conference, because the accessibility of doctors who are here willing to spend time and talk to you is just amazing. I came back this year just because we had so much fun here last year, and we’ll be back next year.”
“Excellent speakers! Appreciated their candor and openness. The videos of actual procedures were very interesting! Pictures/drawings/illustrations of heart function and afib were very helpful and interesting. Doctor Q&As were great and food was excellent! Excellent conference!”
“Excellent conference for gaining knowledge on afib. Great panel of doctors and speakers. Helpful in answering everyone’s Qs.”
“One of the most informative and well-planned conferences I have ever attended. Excellent speakers, materials, conference location, and access to other patients going through the same experience.”
I’d like to tell you my own story, so you know how I came to be doing this, and why I am so passionate about helping you!
I’m Mellanie True Hills, an afib patient and survivor who has been afib free almost 19 years after undergoing a surgical procedure.
I’m also the founder of StopAfib.org, which has been the #1 arrhythmia website worldwide, and among the top heart disease sites alongside the websites of the American Heart Association, the British Heart Foundation, the American College of Cardiology, and the National Heart Foundation of Australia.
StopAfib.org is devoted to increasing your knowledge about afib, helping you improve your quality of life if you’re living with it, and helping you avoid an afib-related stroke. I created Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month (September), and worked with medical societies to get it officially declared as National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month by the US Senate. I participate in global coalitions focused on getting people diagnosed with afib so they can prevent strokes.
In the development of the 2014 AHA/ACC/HRS Guideline for the Management of Patients with Atrial Fibrillation, I became the first non-clinician to participate as part of the guidelines process. I serve on think tanks and research study steering committees with many of the world’s leading expert doctors as well as on faculty at medical conferences worldwide.
I wasn’t always an afib expert, but I’ve always been a pioneer.
In the early 1990s, I was an Internet pioneer at J.C. Penney Company, Inc., where I led the creation of one of the earliest corporate websites, as well as an intranet and supplier extranet. I also spoke at some of the earliest Internet events. I wrote two of the very first Intranet books (published by John Wiley & Sons), both of which were long-time best sellers (among the top-selling business books on Amazon), as well as a multiple-award-winning book, “A Woman’s Guide to Saving Her Own Life,” to share what I had learned. I was the executive in charge of the intranet at Dell, Inc. and a Strategic Thought Leader for our Global 500 high tech and automotive manufacturing customers at Cisco Systems.
In March 2003, after a flight, I experienced symptoms often related to heart attack in women, and was diagnosed with coronary artery blockage. I almost died during an interventional procedure to place a stent. About seven months later, after another flight, my heart skipped some beats and started racing. At the emergency room, they determined that I had blood clots and a close call with a stroke due to atrial fibrillation—which I’d never heard of.
My doctors prescribed an anticoagulant (blood thinner) to prevent a stroke. I was never stable on the anticoagulant, ping-ponging from one extreme to the other, sometimes at risk for a clot and stroke and other times at risk for a bleed. In the summer of 2005, research showed that about one-fourth of those on this anticoagulant are not stable due to genetic reasons. I knew I could not continue to live with this nightmare of never being stable and always feeling like I was a stroke waiting to happen. That’s when I discovered a new surgical procedure.
In September 2005, I underwent a mini maze surgical procedure and removal of my left atrial appendage, and I became afib free.
With the freedom to go and do, without fear and anxiety, I got my life back. Now, it’s my life’s work to help other people living with afib to do the same.
Those living with afib have a 500% greater stroke risk than those without. They also have a one-in-three lifetime risk of having a stroke, and women tend to have a greater stroke risk than men do.
It is my mission to spread awareness of how to prevent afib-related strokes. StopAfib.org is a patient-driven website, meant to educate, so you can become a proactive member of your healthcare team.
(Of course, the information on the website isn’t meant to replace the relationship you build with your doctor and the other members of your healthcare team.)
I wanted patients to have their own medical conference, so they had the opportunity to hear from those same world-renowned expert doctors who our doctors learn from.
From the first time I attended a medical conference, I wanted patients to have their own medical conference, so they had the opportunity to hear from those same world-renowned expert doctors our doctors learn from. It was my dream, but it took a few years before I was able to realize that dream.
We at StopAfib.org created our first Get in Rhythm. Stay in Rhythm.® Atrial Fibrillation Patient Conference in 2013 to provide vital information and resources for people living with afib and their loved ones. Over the past 11 years, we’ve seen hundreds, if not thousands, of people living with afib get their lives back.
During the Conference, All-Star, World-Renowned Atrial Fibrillation Experts Shared the Most Recent Developments in Afib Treatment, Along with Ways You Can More Effectively Work with Your Healthcare Team for the Best Possible Results.
This year, we leveraged what I saw and heard at a number of medical conferences to put together an agenda based on the latest information and the needs you shared in the survey. This means what you will learn from the recordings will be new, even if you’ve attended past conferences. We focused on taking a deep dive into afib as well as innovations in afib treatment, so you will learn more about managing and even stopping afib.
“Speakers were super; enjoyed the humor of some of them no matter how serious this subject. Very special to have access to such high-quality practitioners.”
“The conference was very comprehensive, and the speakers were very adept at knowing their audience.”
“Wow! What a wonderful experience. Listening to the best doctors and researchers in the world was such a great opportunity. Thank you! This conference has been so well presented!”“Excellent experience. Value in every interaction with other attendees; their experience added to our decisions for taking action.”
“Certainly, what I’m taking away is the camaraderie between all of us who have something in common, and having not met the people before, it’s very refreshing. We’ve formed bonds and shared stories, which is very rewarding.”“I’m not alone! Sharing symptoms and possible solutions is comforting. A special bond!”
Schedule and Agenda
Deep Dives and Innovation
- Welcome and Introduction — Mellanie True Hills, CSP
- What to Know About Afib and Lifestyle — Emelia Benjamin, MD, ScM
- Which Drug for Afib Rate vs. Rhythm Control — Francis E. Marchlinski, MD, FHRS
- Q&A
- Dealing With Other Heart Issues — Eric N. Prystowsky, MD, FHRS (New Content)
- Dealing With Afib With Other Issues — Andrea Russo, MD, FHRS (New Content)
- Q&A
- Medications for Preventing Strokes — Jeff Healey, MD, FHRS (New Faculty)
- Devices for Preventing Afib Strokes — Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy, MD, FHRS
- Q&A
- The Evolution of Afib Surgery — James L. Cox, MD (New Faculty & Content)
- Q&A
- Resources & Closing — Mellanie True Hills, CSP
- What Should Patients Know About Minimally Invasive Surgery? — Randall Wolf, MD
- What Should Patients Know About Hybrid/Convergent Ablation? — Randy Lee, MD
- Q&A
- Catheter Ablation for Afib — Jodie Hurwitz, MD, FHRS
- Pulsed Field Ablation for Afib — Moussa Mansour, MD, FHRS (New Faculty)
- Q&A
- Role of Quality of Life in Guiding Afib Ablation — Andrea Russo, MD, FHRS (New Content)
- Future of Afib Research and Treatment — Jeanne Poole, MD, FHRS (New Faculty & Content)
- Q&A
- What Patients Should Know About the New Afib Guidelines — Jose Joglar, MD, FHRS (New Faculty & Content)
- Q&A
- Research & Closing — Mellanie True Hills, CSP
- Including the Patient Voice in Research: From Citizen Science to Clinical Studies — Bianca Brundel, PhD
- Capturing Individual Insights for Patient-Tailored Afib Management — Myrthe Kuipers
- Q&A
- Living with Afib, Takeaways, & Closing — Mellanie True Hills, CSP
Our Faculty
We do everything we can to ensure watching the conference recordings leaves you feeling in control of your afib, so you can live a happier, more fulfilling life, no matter which course of action you decide to take.
In short, when you and your family members take advantage of this opportunity to hear from the world-renowned members of our faculty, you’ll better understand afib. Based on your input as to what you need to manage or even eliminate your afib, here are some of the topics they addressed:
- Can afib be cured?
- What are the risk factors for afib? Do we know what causes it?
- What questions should I ask my doctor? When should I see a specialist?
- Does afib shorten your life?
- What problems can afib cause, especially if left untreated? How can you avoid those problems, such as stroke, heart failure, tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy, and dementia?
- What role does lifestyle play in decreasing your afib burden?
- Do the new weight loss drugs hurt or help with afib and related conditions?
- How do doctors decide what medications a patient should take?
- What procedures should I consider if medications aren’t working? How effective are those procedures and what are the risks?
- What can I do to get the best care?
- Are there natural or alternative treatments for afib?
- What should I know about how afib might affect different activities such as exercise and traveling?
- What is on the horizon for managing and treating afib, such as new procedures and new blood thinners?
And remember, you’ll also hear from the innovators themselves. We invite some repeat faculty and some new faculty each year. They are always the créme de la créme of afib researchers and doctors, such as Dr. Andrea Russo and Dr. Doug Packer, who received the Eric N. Prystowsky, MD Advocate for Patients Award in 2023 and 2018, respectively. When you purchase access to the 2024 recordings, you’ll get to see who won this year’s Eric N. Prystowsky, MD Advocate for Patients Award.
It’s our goal to give you what you need to work with your healthcare team to create the best possible treatment plan, adhere to that plan, and increase your confidence as you manage your afib and prevent afib-related strokes.
When you purchase access to the recordings of the 2024 Get in Rhythm. Stay in Rhythm.® Atrial Fibrillation Patient Conference Recordings, you receive:
- Access to the recordings of 15 hours of sessions, including presentations and Q&A sessions.
- A downloadable program book, including the schedule, faculty bios, information about sponsors, and a place to take notes.
- The opportunity to watch Eliz’s visits with conference sponsors, so you can learn about content delivered during the faculty presentations.
- Access to our online attendee forum, where you can chat with others living with afib.
When you watch the recordings, you’ll have the opportunity to see Eliz’s walkthrough of our sponsor exhibits, so you can learn more about content delivered during the faculty presentations. Sponsors will show their most leading-edge devices used in treating afib, talk about treatments and clinical trials, and provide take-home materials. We hope these videos encourage you to join us in person in 2025, so you can get to know our faculty and ask your questions of faculty and sponsors.
“First time attending, and we were both impressed. Speakers were outstanding and very knowledgeable. Overall, everything was great.”
“Great overall look at afib and the complexities of it. These doctors were the best. Made the conference worth it!”
“Very valuable experience. Well organized—sessions began and ended on time. The speakers were excellent—experts in their fields.”
“My husband and I were impressed with the whole conference. We liked the format with half-hour talks and question and answer sessions followed by breaks, which allowed personal meetings with the presenters. The presenters were excellent and seemed pleased to be there, not just flying in and out to give a talk. They were so accessible and helpful.”
“Really enjoyed each and every speaker; each one was relaxed in talking and sharing the knowledge they have. Going into an MD appointment, they don’t always share all of the information we’ve received these past three days.”
“Everything was top-notch. Speakers excellent, food plentiful and delicious, everything was so well thought out.”
Now, you may be wondering about the investment for access to the recordings of the 2024 Get in Rhythm. Stay in Rhythm.® Atrial Fibrillation Patient Conference.
Because we want this event to be as accessible as possible to as many people as possible, we’ve kept the investment level low.
Learning this information matters to you, and to your family. Many attendees (and those who have watched the recordings) have found their solution and are no longer in afib. People who attended previously, and who have chosen to manage their afib (as opposed to electing to have a procedure), are usually among the first to register for the annual conference, because they don’t want to miss out on the latest, potentially life-saving information they’ll hear.
Also, while we’ve heard from people who aren’t sure whether the conference is worth traveling for, international attendees are often the first to register, which we believe proves that it is!
With that in mind, we sincerely hope you’ll consider attending live year year … and to give you an idea of what that could be like, here are some comments from others who joined us in Dallas:
“This is truly the best conference I’ve ever been to. This is my third conference, and I feel like I learned more this year than in previous years! I thought it might be a bit repetitive this year, but no! The speakers were fantastic, and the material was all fresh and freshly presented. Even though I was livestream, I still felt part of it and was fully engaged throughout.”
“Absolutely, we will be back. It is a stretch to get here. It’s not like we want to spend our vacation days here, or our non-vacation days here, and we have grandkids we would rather be with. But with what we are coming away with, we will absolutely be back.”“This is my third year and I always learn something new, even if it is just the details that I had missed before or did not think to ask.”
“My third year here. I thought this was the best and most informative I have attended so far.”
“Speakers bring knowledge and insight they have to patients and hear what patients have to say. Diversity and difference in speakers valuable.”
We’re already hard at work on next year’s conference! Set aside August to join us in person. We’ll send out a save-the -date email as soon as we have the dates locked. We’re sure that watching the recordings will help you see how valuable it is to be there in person so you can ask our expert faculty your questions.
“The venue was perfect, including the location, room, food, etc.”
“Food/snacks were great. Easy to get to this hotel.”
“My first conference, and I was very impressed with how well it was planned. Venue was in a good location, and food was very good and plenty of it!”
Not only that, but family members who attend the conference in support of a loved one with afib find it valuable, as well. We encourage you to ask a loved one to watch the recordings with you (and/or join you next year in person).
Diana Levin, who came to a previous conference with her husband Robert, told me the first year she’d been dreading sitting through several days of afib talks, but it wasn’t boring at all. In fact, she enjoyed it and learned so much. It helped her to really understand what he was going through and how she could help him. The Levins have returned to the conference several times.
It’s so important to us to make this life-changing information accessible to as many as possible. That’s why we’re offering access to the recordings at a price that’s lower than last year’s, even though our costs keep increasing tremendously.
Our Sponsors
Thank you to our 2024 Conference Sponsors.
Platinum Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Conference Sponsor - Co-Sponsor
Frequently Asked Questions
Afib is such a complicated condition (even doctors will tell you that) … it is impossible for your doctor to provide the depth of information needed in the short appointments allowed by insurance. That is why watching the conference recordings is so valuable—you get information that you might never be able to get during a visit with your doctor, or it might take years to collect all this information from doctor visits.
Also, consider how much money you’ll save, not only because the recordings are a convenient way to hear from the world’s leading afib experts without leaving home, but also because you’re able to make the most effective decisions about your afib. Your new knowledge could save you money on unnecessary healthcare.
Most importantly, think about what this information could do to enhance your quality of life.
First and foremost, this is the primary reason we require such a minimal investment for the conference recordings—we want to make the information as accessible as possible for you!
Second, consider what it’s worth to you to be able to get your afib under control and enjoy your life as you had planned, making memories with your loved ones and really living.
Third, when you’re able to make the most effective decisions about your afib, it’s possible you’ll save enough on unnecessary healthcare costs to pay for the recordings.
Fourth, this conference brings together the foremost experts in afib, all at the same time, in the same place. You have the chance to hear from them without having to travel to see each one individually. This year, like every year, so many people told me they found their solution at the conference.
This conference provides you with unparalleled access to the experts in afib, and can therefore give you confidence in your treatment options and plan. With that comes peace of mind for you and your loved ones, even as you get back to doing the things you love (most likely faster than you’d be able to if you were figuring it out on your own!).
What is that worth to you?
In our estimate, in the 11 years since we’ve been offering this conference, hundreds, if not thousands, of people have found their afib solution. These folks don’t need to return to the conference because, as a result of what they learned at the conference in previous years, they’re now afib-free.
Will that be you? What would that be worth?
We hear this request over and over every year. We’d LOVE to bring the conference to as many cities as possible. Truthfully, this huge conference is a full year’s work (and we’re already working on the conference for next year). Consider that we bring together the top faculty from all over the world, all in one place at one time. These are the faculty from whom you most want to hear! It would be difficult to get this caliber of experts to smaller local/regional events. We must make it convenient for them, so we hold it in a city with direct flights from where most major heart centers are located—which means it’s easy for YOU to get here, too. We hope you’ll consider joining us in person next year!
This conference is created by patients, for patients, so everything will be directed toward you!
If you buy access to the conference recordings, you’ll get to rewatch the sessions as many times as you like, at your convenience. You can rewatch sessions you’d like to, and visit our StopAfib.org Library containing a wealth of information at no cost, any time.
Our policy is that we cannot do refunds because of the significant investment we make in the technology and personnel to create the recordings, and the small size of our team. The price is so reasonable and you will save that just in co-pays for a couple of specialist visits. Plus, watching the recordings will help you create a knowledge base upon which to better manage your afib.
Now are you ready?
Are you ready to become educated and empowered, and get your life back?
Yes, Mellanie! I’m ready. I’d like to purchase access to the recordings of the 2024 Get in Rhythm. Stay in Rhythm.® Atrial Fibrillation Patient Conference.
For your investment of $197:
Recordings
Recordings of the General Sessions Featuring Renowned Afib Experts ($525 Value)
Three days (15+ hours) of sessions, including presentations and Q&As. Our faculty members are the crème de la crème in the afib world. You will access the recordings inside our StopAfib.org Library.
Interviews with Sponsors
Our dedicated livestrem host, Eliz Greene, interviews our sponsors. Those conversations are included in the recordings so you can get more details about the content delivered during the faculty presentations.
Attendee Forum
Access to our online attendee forum, where you can chat with others living with afib. Many of our attendees have made friends with one another at the conference and enjoy seeing each other year after year.
Right now, you have a choice.
Will you take action now, purchase access to the conference recordings, begin learning how to become an active member of your healthcare team, and create a treatment plan that works for you … so you can get your life back?
Will you be among those who will be afib free from what you learn while watching the recordings of the 2024 conference?
To your health,
Mellanie True Hills
Founder, StopAfib.org
P.S. This is your opportunity to discover how you can begin to get your life back, just like so many others have after attending the conference. Purchase access to the recordings today (and access them inside the StopAfib.org Library).
