CME Online

The newest CME presentations are at the top of this page.
Those nearing expiration are nearer the bottom of the page.

 

What’s New In Hypertension Since The JNC 7 Guidelines
Hypertension continues to be a leading health problem, not only in sheer numbers of affected individuals but because more than 70% of people who receive care do not achieve adequate blood pressure control. How can clinicians do better in helping their patients achieve better control of hypertension? This session will look at what the guidelines have to say and opportunities for improved outcomes.
CME Valid to March 1, 2011

 

Practical Application of Insulin Pump Therapy In Type 2 Diabetes
Insulin pump therapy, or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion, has become an increasingly popular mode of therapy for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Do the benefits of this type of treatment pertain to type 2 diabetes? This presentation looks at the role of insulin pump therapy in managing type 2 diabetes.
CME Valid to March 1, 2011

History, Injury and Blood Flow: The Keys to Detection of Venous Thromboembolism
Deep Vein Thrombosis alone occurs in about 2 million Americans each year, accounting for up to 600,000 DVT hospitalizations. Pulmonary Embolism (PE) accounts for nearly 300,000 deaths per year, with the majority of those occurring from the onset of DVT. Together, Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) occurs in about 600,000 cases per year, with a large portion of those cases being diagnosed upon conclusion of an autopsy. The key to preventing DVT, PE and ultimately VTE is early recognition and diagnosis, along with preventative methods for patients at higher risk to adhere to
CME Valid to December 31, 2010
Osteoporosis: Decreasing Costs by Improving Prevention, Early Diagnosis & Patient Outcomes
Osteoporosis is preventable, but it is not curable, only treatable. It is important that doctors stay aware of the risk factors, and perform bone mineral density (BMD) tests for diagnosis for high-risk patients. Medicare reimburses BMD testing every two years. Fractures from osteoporosis reduce a patient’s quality of life and an average of 24% of hip fracture patients aged 50 and up die in the year following their fracture. The importance of prevention and early diagnosis is apparent and of utmost importance to managed care medical directors, case managers and administrators.
CME Valid to December 31, 2010
Effective Diagnosis and Treatmentof Early Parkinson’s Disease
The session will provide important insights into effective management, including diagnosis and treatment of early PD. This educational activity will help attendees identify patients in need of early treatment and to distinguish disease progression from suboptimal treatment outcomes with the goal of improving patient care. It is imperative that Managed Care Medical Directors, Neurologists, Nurses and Healthcare Executives, who will be present at the Fall Managed Care Forum, learn about these advances in treatment and how to integrate them into their respective plan or provider organizations.
CME Valid to December 31, 2010

 
Inattention, Hyperactivity and Impulsivity:
The Diagnosis, Management and Treatment of Behavioral Deficits Attributed to ADHD

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder, comprised of deficits in behavioral inhibition, staying focused, resisting distractions and ability to regulate one’s activity level to the appropriate situation. While inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity are typical behaviors exuded during childhood, for those with ADHD, these behaviors are much more severe and occur more often.

With the increasing number of ADHD diagnoses and additional problems that can be associated with it, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder has a huge impact, economically. In 2005, the ‘cost of illness’ (not total impact) for ADHD was estimated to be anywhere from $36 billion to $52 billion, or between $12,005 and $17,458 annually per individual. Comparatively, previous statistics show that in 2000, total excess cost of ADHD in the US was $31.6 billion, an increase of at least $4 billion in just a five-year period. Work loss, though not built into this figure, also creates a significant financial burden on society and in a study of 10 different countries worldwide, the employer ‘cost’ associated with ADHD is 143.8 million days lost of work productivity annually.

CME Valid to December 31, 2010
Evolving Concepts in CVD Risk Assessment: Implications in the Managed Care Environment
Cardiovascular disease remains a leading killer in the United States, and epidemiologic studies continue to show a direct relationship between atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease (CHD). A quality improvement initiative revealed that patients with cardiac risk equivalents often are not being treated appropriately by clinicians; they are receiving less than optimal care. Recent clinical data released at the American Heart Association have stirred significant debate among cardiologists and other clinicians. As research improves our understanding of dyslipidemia, cardiac inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and atherosclerosis, managed care professionals need continuing education that will help them implement appropriate strategies and prevention plans that will improve clinical outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease.
CME Valid to November 30, 2010
Evolution of Personalized Medicine: The Role of Pharmacogenomics in Managed Care
The goal of this activity is to provide medical directors from plans, purchasers and provider systems and nurse case managers with appropriate education on personalized medicine and its impact on managed care environments.
CME valid to November 10, 2010.

The Relationship between Rheumatoid Arthritis and Heart Failure

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease affecting approximately 1% of the adult general population. Cardiovascular disease is recognized as the leading cause of death in RA patients, accounting for nearly 50 percent of their mortality. Patients with RA are at an increased risk for myocardial infarction, stroke, and heart failure. Some medications for RA may also worsen or precipitate heart failure. Optimal management of the RA patient requires attention to not only management of RA but also prevention of cardiovascular disease.

CME valid to November 1, 2010. 

Management of an HIV Patient Population
Advances in treatment have changed AIDS into a chronically managed disease. Patients need to be identified early after initial HIV infection to prevent further spread of the infection and improve their life expectancy. Changes have been made to the health care setting recommendations for HIV screening to promote early and wide identification of HIV infections.
CME valid to December 31, 2010
The Relationship and Impact of Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes and obesity are both increasing.  Because these are both major risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease, the prevalence and mortality of cardiovascular disease is likely to increase.  In order to prevent this, strategies for preventing diabetes, treating diabetes to accepted goals, and targeting associated CVD risk factors should be implemented.
CME valid to December 31, 2010

Clinical and Financial Implications of Wound Care Management Across the Care Continuum
Healing wounds is an expensive endeavor for managed care. Because the population is aging and diabetes prevalence is on the rise, this problem is going to continue to grow. When all the costs related to wound care are examined from a real world perspective, advanced therapies such as negative pressure wound therapy are cost effective. To maximize cost effectiveness, advanced therapies should be applied in a timely manner to those patients most likely to benefit.
CME valid to August 31, 2010

Comparative Effectiveness:  The Impact on Managed Care and Patient Outcomes
Although discussed and debated for several years, comparative effectiveness research is coming to the forefront as health care reform again becomes a federal government focus. There is significant debate ongoing about how to best fund, implement, and apply comparative effectiveness research. The recent economic stimulus bill has postponed some of the debate by providing a significant amount of money for this type of research.
CME valid to August 31, 2010
Current Concepts in Managing Dyslipidemia
The guidelines for managing dyslipidemia are continuing to evolve. Currently, very aggressive lowering of low density lipoprotein cholesterol is recommended for many patients. To achieve these aggressive goals, maximized statins or combination lipid lowering therapy is necessary.
CME valid to August 31, 2010
Parkinson’s Disease: A How To Series
This is a 4 part series on the Diagnosis, Treatment, Management and Future of Parkinson's Disease. With PD affecting at least 500,000 and costing over $6 billion annually, it is important to be appropriate educated on Parkinson's Disease and how to better manage this patient population.
CME valid to July 31, 2010
Prevention, Diagnosis & Treatment of COPD
COPD is a preventable and treatable disease that results in significant morbidity, mortality, and costs. Treatment uses a stepped care approach utilizing inhaled medications and non pharmacologic therapy. Smoking cessation, both on an individual and societal basis, is the most important factor in fighting COPD.
CME valid to July 31, 2010
Schizophrenia: Improving Outcomes While Managing Care
Schizophrenia affects about 1% of Americans, which is well over two million adults. There is no cure. It is a chronic, severe brain disorder. Symptoms usually start in late teens to early 20s for men and mid 20s to early 30s for women
CME valid to June 30, 2010
The Physical and Fiscal Impact of Sleep Disorders
Sleep disorders are common, result in significant health care costs, and have an important impact on patient functioning. The major sleep disorders are chronic insufficient sleep syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, and insomnia. There are effective treatments for each. Managed care can easily implement interventions in several areas for both clinical and fiscal improvement in the treatment of sleep disorders.
CME valid to June 30, 2010