FACULTY Joel J. Heidelbaugh, MD, FAAFP, FACG
Charles P. Vega, MD, FAAFP
Professor, Family Medicine and Urology Director, Medical Student Education Department of Family Medicine University of Michigan Medical School Ann Arbor, Michigan
Fernando J. Martinez, MD, MS Prerecorded
Chief, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Bruce Webster Professor of Medicine Joan and Sanford I. Weill Department of Medicine Weill Cornell Medical College New York - Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center
New York, New York
Health Sciences Clinical Professor University of California (UC) Irvine Department of Family Medicine Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion UC Irvine School of Medicine Executive Director, UC Irvine Program in Medical Education for the Latino Community Irvine, California
Barbara P. Yawn, MD, MSc, FAAFP Researcher Adjunct Professor, Department of Family and Community Health University of Minnesota Rochester, Minnesota
TARGET AUDIENCE This activity is intended for primary care providers (PCPs), including internists, family medicine physicians, nurse practitioners (NPs), and physician assistants (PAs), involved in the management of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
PROGRAM OVERVIEW The medical and socioeconomic burdens of COPD in the United States are significant. Exacerbations of COPD are associated with high mortality rates, rapid decreases in lung function, and poor patient quality of life. In that respect, exacerbations of COPD are the equivalent of “heart attacks” of the lungs. This COPD Cases and ConversationsTM program has been designed specifically to empower PCPs—frontline clinicians who manage 80% of COPD cases―with the necessary tools to effectively impact the outcomes of their patients with COPD. The interactive, small group, casebased format supported by video conferencing technology will allow for meaningful face-to-face discussions among faculty and participants that not only captures common challenges surrounding the management of COPD in the primary care setting but also provides strategies to overcome them. Key topics will include longitudinal patient assessment, risk mitigation, evidence-based maintenance regimens, exacerbation prevention, and multimodal patient care.
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES After completing this activity, the participant should be better able to: • Assess patients with COPD over time to characterize disease phenotypes, exacerbation risks, and treatment responses • Describe recent clinical trial data for combination maintenance therapy in COPD and updates to evidence-based guidelines • Tailor maintenance regimens for patients with COPD to reflect disease severity, minimize exacerbation risks, and account for comorbidities and patient preference • Engage patients with COPD on the need for appropriate physical activity, exacerbation avoidance, and treatment adherence
This activity is jointly provided by Global Education Group and Integritas Communications. This activity is supported by an educational grant from AstraZeneca.