A. Keynote: What We Measure, What We Believe, and What Our Patients Deserve

Presenter: David Doubblestein, PT PhD OCS CLT-LANA

This insightful and empowering keynote address will inspire clinicians, researchers, and policy-makers to critically examine the beliefs, practices, and metrics that define breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) care. Drawing on decades of clinical experience and research, David Doubblestein explores how legacy practices and fragmented outcome measurement may limit patient progress and clinician reasoning. With clarity and compassion, he invites the audience to reframe their thinking: to measure what truly matters, to trust clinical reasoning, and to advocate for care that aligns with both scientific evidence and the lived experience of survivors. This session offers a roadmap for unifying BCRL care across disciplines—restoring coherence, relevance, and purpose to what we do and why we do it.

1. Critically appraise common clinical beliefs and self-care practices in BCRL management to distinguish evidence-based interventions from outdated or unsupported guidance.
2. Identify the limitations of current outcome measurement practices in lymphedema care and describe the value of implementing a standardized core outcome set (COS) to improve interdisciplinary communication and patient outcomes.
3. Describe strategies to integrate clinical reasoning, patient priorities, and current evidence in order to deliver individualized, meaningful, and compassionate care for people living with BCRL.