Primary Care Update: Internal Medicine, Pain Management and Infectious Diseases – 15 Credits
This program includes 2.0 hours of content intended to meet the Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act requirements for DEA license renewal.
Overview
This conference is designed to provide primary care practitioners with up-to-date, evidence-based information on commonly encountered issues in Internal Medicine, Pain Management and Infectious Diseases, while suggesting pragmatic approaches to clinical management. The discussion-based format of the conference will encourage audience participation through dynamic lectures, case-based studies, and hands-on workshops. Keynote speakers will present and critically assess recent advancements and industry updates in Internal Medicine, Pain Management and Infectious Diseases, with the goal of enhancing the knowledge-base and core competence of attendees. The successful completion of this interactive program will help you in diagnosing, treating, and prescribing the most effective courses of treatment, with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes.
Target Audience
All Physicians and other Healthcare Professionals seeking clinical information about issues in Internal Medicine, Pain Management and Infectious Diseases.
Speakers
Our presenting national faculty speakers make it their professional goal to enhance the training of primary care clinicians. This Continuing Medical Education program promises to help you learn the most current, best medicine, and techniques for making the diagnosis easier during a 20-minute office visit.
Topics and Objectives
Internal Medicine Updates
Primary Care Management of Depression
Objectives: 1) Develop an approach to screening for depression in the primary care practice 2) Implement a rational use of antidepressants based on side-effect profiles and the effect on weight and sleep 3) Determine the optimal use of combination therapy for augmenting antidepressant response
Hypertension
Objectives: 1) Appropriately diagnose hypertension and discuss the significance of white coat hypertension2) Discuss new blood pressure targets for patients with hypertension 3) Identify which antihypertensive drug classes are most effective in reducing cardiovascular events 4) Outline an approach to resistant hypertension
New Drugs for the Primary Care Practice
Objectives: 1) Review recently approved drugs and those in the pipeline that will have the largest impact 2) Review the efficacy, side-effects, and cost of important novel drugs 3) Discuss the role of recently approved medications and their place among existing therapies
Common Diagnostic Dilemmas
Objectives: 1) Identify symptoms and signs that may be red flags for serious medical conditions2) Recognize “can’t miss” diagnoses when faced with a challenging patient that may have potentiallyconfusing symptoms3) Discuss which symptoms and exam findings are most helpful when faced with a patient for whom “can’t miss” diagnoses remain possible4) Review clinical decision-making rules to refine diagnostic probabilities
Treatment of Migraine and Tension-Type Headache
Objectives: 1) Discuss recent guidelines regarding the proper role of acute treatments for migraine2) Outline an approach to preventive therapy for patients with disabling migraines 3) Appropriately useCGRP-based treatments for the prevention of acute migraine 4) Determine which complementary and alternative treatments are effective for headache disorders
Pain Management
Update on Pathophysiology of Pain and Review of Multidisciplinary Approaches in the Management of Fibromyalgia
Objectives: 1) Review mechanisms of pain perception, including peripheral and central changes, and how they serve as targets for pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions for pain management 2) Describe recent genetic, biochemical, and imaging evidence that supports the etiology of fibromyalgia 3) Become familiar with the American College of Rheumatology criteria for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia, including the updated 2010 version
Rational Polypharmacy for Chronic Pain Management
Objectives: 1) Apply an updated pathophysiologic understanding to targeting and treating pain 2) Understandmechanisms of action of the various muscle relaxers and anticonvulsants commonly used to treat various chronic pain states 3) Use case examples to better understand titration and adjustment of adjuvant analgesics
Physical Exam for Low Back Pain: A Hands-On Approach
Objectives: 1) Discuss how several structures in the lumbar spine may serve as pain generators, including disc, facet joint, myofascial, and ligamentous structures 2) Review basic physical exam techniques used for assessing spine-related pain conditions 3) Differentiate lumbar radiculopathy signs and symptoms from other causes of low back pain, including facet-mediated, soft tissue, and sacroiliac joint pain
Osteoarthritis Update – Including Assessment of Shoulder and Hip Pain Disorders
Objectives: 1) Become familiar with the evolving understanding of the pathophysiology of OA and the role of the central nervous system 2) Review pharmacologic agents used in treating OA, including NSAIDs, topical analgesics, and opioids 3) Apply physical exam tests to improve a clinician’s ability to diagnose common shoulder, hip, and knee conditions for both in-office visits and telehealth services
Update on Opioid Pharmacology, Risk Management Strategies, and Applying the CDC Guidelines in Primary Care
Objectives: 1) Highlight pharmacologic differences between various opioid products used for chronic pain management 2) Describe risk factors that may help to predict problematic opioid use, including addiction and misuse 3) Review the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for chronic pain and how it can be applied to managing patients in pain, including tapering 4) Understand and utilize urine drug monitoring and prescription monitoring programs, as more comprehensive monitoring of patients that may require opioid analgesics as part of a pain management regimen
Infectious Diseases
Antimicrobial Stewardship
Objectives: 1) Review the current dilemma with multidrug-resistant organisms, antibiotic shortage, and the history of how we got here 2) Summarize appropriate stewardship principles with specific examples
