Case Challenges in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Comorbidities

Rheumatology
Curriculum:
Achieving Optimal Outcomes in RA and Comorbid Conditions
Credits:
1 ANCC Contact Hours 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)
Launch Date:
December 15, 2016
Expiration Date:
The accreditation for this activity has expired.

Primary Audience:

Rheumatologists, Nurse Practitioners, Nurses, Physician Assistants, other healthcare providers who treat patients with RA

Relevant Terms:

Rheumatoid arthritis, arthritis, type 2 diabetes, heart failure, chronic pain, fibromyalgia

Tuhina Neogi, MD, PhD

Tuhina Neogi, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Boston University School of Medicine
Boston, MA

Dr. Neogi is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Boston University School of Medicine, as well as an Associate Professor of Epidemiology in the Boston University School of Public Health. She is presently Associate Chair of the Clinical Epidemiology Research and Training Unit, a member of the Section of Rheumatology, and an Evans Educator Co-Director of Evidence-Based Medicine in the Department of Medicine. She is also a member of the FDA Arthritis Advisory Committee and numerous other arthritis-related committees at a national and international level.
 
Dr. Neogi is internationally recognized for her expertise in the epidemiology and management of osteoarthritis, mechanisms of osteoarthritis-related pain, risk factors and management of gout, and classification criteria and outcome measures for various rheumatic diseases. Dr. Neogi has an active NIH-funded research program, mentors numerous trainees and junior faculty, and is involved in teaching students and trainees.

Jon Giles, MD, MPH

Jon Giles, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Division of Rheumatology
Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons
New York Presbyterian Hospital

Dr. Giles completed his rheumatology fellowship at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. His research interests focus on the same types of arthritis. Current projects center around understanding the inflammatory and non-inflammatory determinants of body composition abnormalities in rheumatoid arthritis and their subsequent effects on health outcomes.
 
Other current and past research involve the investigation of accelerated atherosclerosis and myocardial dysfunction in rheumatoid arthritis patients, understanding the risks of biologic therapeutic use for patients undergoing surgery, and exploring the musculoskeletal side-effects of a class of medications used to suppress estrogen in women with certain forms of breast cancer. He is the recipient of major grant support from the National Institutes of Health, the Arthritis Foundation, the American College of Rheumatology.

Mark C. Fisher, MD, MPH

Mark C. Fisher, MD, MPH
Assistant Clinical Director
Department of Rheumatology
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, MA

Dr. Mark Fisher did his rheumatology fellowship at NYU-HJD. Since then, he has been on the faculty of Harvard Medical School and on staff at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is the assistant clinical director of rheumatology at MGH. He has been a section leader on the CARE (Continuing Assessment Review Evaluation) committee for the American College of Rheumatology for the last 2 years. Dr. Fisher also has training in clinical epidemiology, and does research in quality of care and outcomes in Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crystalline Arthropathy, and the seronegative Spondyloarthropathies.
 
 

Naomi Amudala, NP

Naomi Amudala, NP
Vasculitis Center
Boston University School of Medicine
Boston, MA

Naomi Amudala, RN, FNP-BC, received her Master’s degree in Nursing from MGH Institute of Health Professions. Having joined the faculty at Boston University Vasculitis Center in 2009, Naomi is a nurse practitioner who specializes in vasculitis and works in partnership with Drs. Monach, Grayson and Neogi. The majority of her time is dedicated to the clinical care of patients with vasculitis. She is also a co-investigator for a number of clinical trials in vasculitis. A strong believer in patient autonomy, Naomi’s goal is to support and guide the patient’s decision-making process and encourage them to actively participate in their medical care.
 
 
 
 
1. Recognize which patients with RA and comorbid conditions are candidates for use of biological therapies
2. Identify strategies to use in practice for providing interdisciplinary management of RA and comorbidities
3. List the benefits and the safety risks of available and pending therapies for RA treatment  for patients with comorbid conditions
4. Demonstrate increased competence in the ability to monitor patients with RA and comorbid conditions

EDUCATIONAL NEEDS ADDRESSED
Current literature indicates that rheumatologists are not providing optimal care when managing patients with RA. Practice gaps include: 1) variation in treatment; 2) lack of knowledge regarding safety issues and biologic treatment; 3) lack of knowledge and competence determining whether and when monotherapy or combination therapeutic treatment is suitable; 4) challenges in identifying the benefits and safety risks of available therapies including drug interactions.
 
DISCLOSURE POLICY STATEMENT
Boston University School of Medicine asks all individuals involved in the development and presentation of Continuing Medical Education (CME) activities to disclose all relationships with commercial interests. This information is disclosed to CME activity participants. Boston University School of Medicine has procedures to resolve any apparent conflicts of interest. In addition, faculty members are asked to disclose when any unapproved use of pharmaceuticals and devices is being discussed. 
 
Faculty Disclosures
 
Tuhina Neogi, MD, PhD
CME Course Director
Associate Professor of Medicine
Boston University School of Medicine
Dr. Neogi has no relevant financial relationships with commercial interest.
 
Jon T. Giles, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Division of Rheumatology
Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons
New York Presbyterian Hospital
Dr. Giles receives grant/research support from Genentech. He is a consultant for Pfizer and he sits on the board for Coherus.
 
Mark Fisher, MD, MPH
Assistant Clinical Director
Department of Rheumatology
Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Fisher has no relevant relationships with commercial interests.
 
Naomi Amudala, RN, FNP-BC
CNE Course Advisor
Clinical Instructor and Nurse Practitioner
Vasculitis Center/Rheumatology
Boston University School of Medicine
Ms. Amudala has no relevant financial relationships with commercial interest.
 
Planning Committee Disclosures
 
Patti-Ann Collins, DNP, MSN/MBA, RN, Lead Nurse Planner, has no relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest.
Elizabeth Drury, planner, has no relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest.
Jody Walker, MS, planner, has no relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest.
Julie White, MS, planner, has no relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest.
Josh Kilbridge, medical writer, has no relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest
 
Off-Label Discussions
The faculty members do not plan on discussing any unlabeled/investigational uses of a commercial products.
 
ACCREDITATION STATEMENTS
Boston University School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Boston University School of Medicine designates this enduring educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
 
Continuing Nursing Education Provider Unit, Boston University School of Medicine is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

CNE Contact Hours: 1.0 all of which are eligible for Pharmacology credit.

Nurses will receive contact hours after completion of the post test, evaluation and claim for credit form.
 
HOW TO RECEIVE CREDIT
By reviewing the course content and successfully completing the post-test and evaluation, physicians are entitled to receive 1.0 AMA PRA category 1 credits™, and nurses are entitled to receive 1.00 CNE contact hours, all of which is pharmacology credit worthy. Statement of credit will be available to print from your user history page.
  • Read the learning objectives and faculty disclosures.
  • Participate in the activity.
  • Complete the post-test and activity evaluation.
  • Physicians and nurses who successfully complete the post-test and evaluation will respectively receive CME or CNE. You must score with a 70% or higher on the post-test to receive credit for this activity.
  • All other participants who successfully complete the post-test and evaluation will receive a certificate of participation.
Release Date: December 15th, 2016
Expiration Date: December 15th, 2017
Date of Most Recent Review: December 14th, 2016
Program Code: I.RA16b
 
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COMMERCIAL SUPPORT
This activity is supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Pfizer.
 
DISCLAIMER
THESE MATERIALS AND ALL OTHER MATERIALS PROVIDED IN CONJUNCTION WITH CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION ACTIVITIES ARE INTENDED SOLELY FOR PURPOSES OF SUPPLEMENTING CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS. ANYONE USING THE MATERIALS ASSUMES FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND ALL RISK FOR THEIR APPROPRIATE USE. TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY MAKES NO WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONS WHATSOEVER REGARDING THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, CURRENTNESS, NONINFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OF THE MATERIALS. IN NO EVENT WILL TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY BE LIABLE TO ANYONE FOR ANY DECISION MADE OR ACTION TAKEN IN RELIANCE ON THE MATERIALS. IN NO EVENT SHOULD THE INFORMATION IN THE MATERIALS BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL CARE.
 
 
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