ACSM, with guidance from past president William E. Kraus, M.D., FACSM, launched a task force in March 2021 to pursue reimbursement for ACSM Clinical Exercise Physiologists® (ACSM-CEPs) and Exercise Physiologists® (ACSM-EPs) within the health care system.
“These professionals have functioned for years without the ability to bill for their essential clinical services. This has become apparent to me through the years that I have served as the medical director of the Duke Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. We were stymied by the inability of our clinical exercise physiologists—the frontline providers of our cardiac rehabilitation program—to serve as the billing provider for our care. In addition, as a consequence of this deficiency, these outstanding members of our health care team do not have a direct career path.” – William E. Kraus, M.D., FACSM
This session explores the physiology of hydration through an integrated lens—examining how carbohydrate, sodium, flavor, and fluid interact to influence intake, absorption, retention, and performance. We’ll review current research on fluid balance, osmotic drivers, and palatability, highlighting mechanisms that underpin voluntary intake and thermoregulation. Attendees will gain insight into individualized strategies, including sweat profiling and timing approaches, to optimize euhydration and mitigate performance decrements associated with >2% body-mass loss. Practical applications will be linked to laboratory- and field-based research, ensuring translation from bench to field. This pre-conference equips you with evidence-based tools to support athlete hydration across diverse environments and sporting contexts.
