The Smoky Mountain Symposium (SMS) — a continuing education event for respiratory therapists, sleep technologies and nurses — is returning to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, Oct. 23-24.
The event, which has two educational tracks and offers up to 12 respiratory CEUs and up to 10 sleep CEUs, is hosted by Encore Healthcare, a company that specializes in respiratory population health management. The conference is designed “for professionals committed to clinical excellence and lifelong learning,” Encore Healthcare said in a Sept. 26 announcement.
A keynote opens the event on Oct. 23, with illusionist Jason Murphy and therapist/educator Jennifer Murphy presenting “Juggling What Matters: Resilience, Focus and Emotional Strength in a High-Stress World.”
Following the keynote, attendees can choose sessions in the respiratory track, including Treating Respiratory Failure; Five Things That I Used to Think Were True; Home Ventilation: New Guidelines for Patient Care; and Sputum: Is It Bronchiectasis?
Sleep apnea sessions include Building Successful Home Sleep Testing; CPT Code Updates, Updates in Sleep Medicine; and the Future of Sleep Apnea Care.
The symposium also features an exhibit hall of respiratory and sleep therapy technology and service vendors.
Attendees come together for networking at end-of-the-day sessions — Patient Safety 2025, and Ethics vs. Morals and Healthcare Law in 2025 — as well as for lunch on the first day, and breaks and exhibit hall times.
“Our goal with SMS is to combine world-class education with a fun, supportive atmosphere,” said Zach Gantt, CEO of Encore Healthcare. “This isn’t just a conference — it’s a community. And the Smokies make a perfect backdrop to connect, learn and grow.”
The SMS takes place at the Ramsey Hotel & Convention Center in Pigeon Forge. Registration is now open, and attendees can register for both days or one day of the symposium. Encore Healthcare is offering discounts to American Association for Respiratory Care and American Association of Sleep Technologists members. Students can also attend at a discounted rate.
Customers of Encore Healthcare are also eligible for special discounts; contact Joe Kalis ([email protected]) for a promo code.
Encore Healthcare, based in Livingston, Tennessee, offers clinical services, outcomes reporting and technology solutions for durable medical equipment (DME) companies, health systems, payers and state agencies.
