Free CME

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by chronic hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. While there are many complications resulting from this disease, this CME proposal focuses on treating diabetic foot ulcers that occur in the setting of peripheral neuropathy. Diabetic foot complications are the most common cause of non-traumatic foot injuries leading to amputation, and are also the most frequent reason for hospitalization in patients with diabetes in the United States Diabetic wound care treatments are varied with mixed results, and all current methods require some degree of medium to long-term follow-up and management by an interdisciplinary team which is costly and a significant burden to both the patients and the healthcare system as a whole.

A single treatment with an ultrasonic probe has demonstrated a high rate of complete healing with low recurrence and complication rates. Using these types of devices are relatively inexpensive when compared to more extensive and complex wound care regimens and are easily learned by those experienced in managing this condition. The treatment of diabetic foot ulcers with ultrasonic probes is an evolving standard of care and is becoming an alternative to traditional treatments. This treatment involves fragmenting, emulsifying, and removing thickened scar tissue beneath the wound crater, as well as removing osseous prominences to decrease pressure on the wound bed and promote healing.

There have been recent developments in the available treatments for diabetic foot ulcers. Communicating related information to HCPs, including recent guideline updates, is a demonstrated need.

Target Audience:

The following HCPs who specialize in diabetic care: Endocrinologists, podiatrists, foot and ankle surgeons, primary care physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and wound care RNs.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Psoriasis, characterized by chronic inflammation of the skin and hyperproliferation and abnormal differentiation of the stratified epidermis, is one of the most common autoimmune diseases in the US. With a clinical presentation of red, scaly plaques on the skin that range in severity from minor, localized lesions to complete body coverage, it is also associated with inflammation of the joints and enthesial attachments and has potential of articular destruction—a complication known as psoriatic arthritis that affects up to 30% of those with the disease. Aside from its direct effects on the skin, it is also reduces quality of life associated with cardiac and psychiatric comorbidities. Over half of patients with psoriasis are unsatisfied with their disease management, and half of patients with mild disease are untreated while the same is true for a fifth of patients with severe disease.

This activity has been designed to bring HCPs’ knowledge of current and emerging screening and treatment strategies for psoriasis up to date and to improve their competence and performance in treating it. This program has also been designed to review treatment strategies and raise awareness of gaps in care of patients with psoriasis and review strategies to promote adherence.

Target Audience:

HCPs specializing in: Dermatologists and primary care physicians; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in dermatology; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with psoriasis.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome arising from diminished ventricular filling or ejection of blood. HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is characterized by abnormality in the systolic function and a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of <40%. The prevalence of HF is about 40 million people globally and approximately 6.5 million in the U.S., and as the global population continues to age, the prevalence of HF is expected to continue increasing over the coming decades. HFrEF constitutes a major public health concern, with five-year survival rates as low as 25%, and it carries with it a significant risk of emergency department visits and hospitalizations.

There has been increased focus recently on guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) in HFrEF, and evidence suggests that each ten percent improvement in measures of guideline-recommended composite care is associated with a thirteen percent lower odds of 24-month mortality. Nonetheless, research shows that substantial portions of patients are not treated with guideline-recommended doses, even after taking into account dose-limiting physiological parameters, and that guideline non-adherent practice is associated with poorer outcomes.

Target Audience:

The following HCPs: Cardiologists and PCPs; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in cardiology; and any other HCPs with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with HFrEF.

In this online, self-learning activity:

Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissues, which leads to an increased risk of skeletal fractures. Although osteoporosis is generally considered as a women’s health issue and often overlooked problem in men, osteoporosis in men is also an important public health issue, and its prevalence is increasing as the general population ages – rising to 11% in men by age 80. Around 1-2 million men in the United States have been estimated to have clinical osteoporosis, and an additional 8-13 million men identified to have low bone mass. In sum, 35% of men are considered to have low bone density by age 50, and that number rises to 53% by age 80.

This program has been designed to bring HCPs’ knowledge of the rationale behind prevention and treatment of male osteoporosis up to date and to improve their competence and performance in treating and preventing it.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Biosimilar drugs are products meant to be similar in quality, safety, and efficacy to an already licensed reference biotherapeutic product. Whereas generics are virtually identical replicas of conventional medications, biosimilars are not the same as the original product – a practically unavoidable outcome because of the considerably large molecular structure that biologics mimic. The literature suggests that learning activities focused on the evolving landscape of biosimilars, which are germane to the therapeutic area because of their potential role in cost containment. Both the FDA and medical literature independently affirm the need for clinician education on biosimilars, including: Comparative efficacy; adverse event rates and management (potential concerns have included immunogenicity); regulatory guidance on interchangeability and substitution – including prescribers retaining some degree of ability to intervene in a product’s substitution at the dispensing stage; and cost considerations.

Given the rapid expansion of these product types and the presence of gaps in the area of hematologic malignancies and oncologic and supportive care therapies, this activity has been designed to bring HCPs’ knowledge of biosimilar products in those areas up to date and to improve their competence and performance in employing them in practice.

Target Audience:

The following healthcare professionals: Hematologist-oncologists and medical oncologists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in oncology; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with hematologic malignancy or oncologic disease states who may receive treatment with biosimilars.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Von Willebrand disease (vWD) is the most common congenital bleeding disorder worldwide. Affecting both male and female births in equal number, vWD is caused by a deficiency or defect in the von Willebrand factor (vWF) glycoprotein, which is responsible for mediating platelet and coagulation factor VIII function. vWD types 1 and 3 are caused by quantitative deficiencies in vWF. In contrast, type 2 vWD is caused by a qualitative defect in the production of vWF. Type 1 is the most common type of vWD, accounting for 60% to 70% of cases, followed by type 2, which is diagnosed in 25% to 30% of patients. Type 3 vWD, the rarest form, affects about 1 in 1,000,000 people. There is evidence that the use of factor VIII/vWF concentrates should be individualized, but no recent vWD guidelines address this issue. Although DDAVP is the treatment of choice for most type 1 vWD patients, data do not support the use of DDAVP for type 2B vWD owing in part to an increased risk for thrombocytopenia. Another practice gap is a lack of guidance around the appropriate ages at which patients with severe vWD are optimally initiated on vWF prophylaxis. Furthermore, although DDAVP is not contraindicated in pregnancy, 31% of physicians consider DDAVP a contraindication according to the results of one survey, illustrating a present area of controversy in practice.

Recent advances in replacement therapy with factor VIII/vWF concentrates have expanded treatment options. A few considerations may impact determination of best choice of agent, including hemostatic capacity and relative proportion of factor VIII. For these reasons and others, there has been a recent focus in individualizing replacement therapy in a manner that takes into account vWD type, thrombosis risk, and clinical indication and goals of therapy. Taking this information into account as well the fact that HCPs are oftentimes unable to keep up with the steady publishing of literature and evolution of clinical practice, continuing HCP education examining clinical decision-making and the appropriate selection of therapy is warranted.

Target Audience:

The following HCPs: hematologists and primary care physicians; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in hematology; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with vWD.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online CME self-learning activity:

According to the CDC, there are more than 1.1 million people aged thirteen and older living with HIV (PLWH). Since the beginning of the HIV epidemic in the 1980s, advances in public health initiatives and treatments have considerably lengthened the life expectancy of PLWH, and as they have begun to live longer, the number of patients with chronic HIV infection has greatly increased. What was once acute inpatient care of the dying has become outpatient chronic disease management with an emphasis on a long-term balancing act that involves the consideration of comorbidities, drug interactions, and adverse drug events in an aging HIV population.

Projections suggest that there may soon be a shortage of HIV providers. To avoid the imminent shortfall of HIV specialists, PCPs to manage HIV infection, comorbidities, and sequelae is critical to meeting the demand for HIV care. The quality of HIV care experienced PCPs provide is substantially similar to that of infectious disease specialists, but research shows that nearly 40% of PCPs and residents do not feel comfortable providing comprehensive services for PLWH in all disease stages.

Target Audience:

HCPs specializing in: primary care; family medicine; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in primary care; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with HIV.

In this online, self-learning activity:

Von Willebrand disease (vWD) is the most common congenital bleeding disorder worldwide. Affecting both male and female births in equal number, vWD is caused by a deficiency or defect in the von Willebrand factor (vWF) glycoprotein, which is responsible for mediating platelet and coagulation factor VIII function. vWD types 1 and 3 are caused by quantitative deficiencies in vWF. In contrast, type 2 vWD is caused by a qualitative defect in the production of vWF. Type 1 is the most common type of vWD, accounting for 60% to 70% of cases, followed by type 2, which is diagnosed in 25% to 30% of patients. Type 3 vWD, the rarest form, affects about 1 in 1,000,000 people. There is evidence that the use of factor VIII/vWF concentrates should be individualized, but no recent vWD guidelines address this issue. Although DDAVP is the treatment of choice for most type 1 vWD patients, data do not support the use of DDAVP for type 2B vWD owing in part to an increased risk for thrombocytopenia. Another practice gap is a lack of guidance around the appropriate ages at which patients with severe vWD are optimally initiated on vWF prophylaxis. Furthermore, although DDAVP is not contraindicated in pregnancy, 31% of physicians consider DDAVP a contraindication according to the results of one survey, illustrating a present area of controversy in practice.

Target Audience:

The following healthcare professionals: Hematologists and primary care physicians; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in hematology; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with vWD.

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Target Audiences:
Clinicians practicing interventional oncology (IO) or those who are interested in learning more about IO.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online CME self-learning program: Opioid use disorder (OUD) affects millions of individuals globally and is best defined by the DSM-5 as a condition due to tolerance, manifestation of physical dependence, and loss of control, which in turn leads to health hazards. The prevalence of OUD and the resultant impact on people is staggering, an estimated 130 people die from opioid overdoses every day. Moreover, the prevalence of OUD is increasing rapidly in concurrence with the widespread availability of opioids, with an estimated 60 prescriptions per 100 patients.

^{Professional societies, non-governmental organizations, and governmental agencies have all recommended a comprehensive public health approach to identifying and managing OUD, which will require the involvement of HCPs across specialties and regions. Implementing a comprehensive multidisciplinary cascade of care for patients with OUD will also necessitate that HCPs embrace new resources to deliver innovative and accessible health care. These resources may include novel prescription digital therapeutics, telemedicine, and engagement of non-physician HCPs who can provide support, counseling, and, in some cases, prescribing.}

Target Audience:

Healthcare professionals specializing in: Addiction, pain management, primary care, family medicine, psychiatry; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and pharmacists who practice in pain management or substance abuse; and any other health professionals who encounter OUD in the clinical setting.