CME Information
Activity Title: Improving the Quality of Care for Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Medium:
Interactive Online CME
Completion of this activity requires Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0 or Mozilla Firefox 1.0 for your Internet browser.

Release Date: 8/22/2012
Expiration Date: 8/22/2013
Estimated Length of Time for Completion: 1 hour

Statement of Need
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) currently affects 1.3 million adults in the United States, and the societal burden is excessive. It is a relatively common chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease that affects the synovial joints and, with time, causes significant functional losses due to persistent inflammatory activity in the joints, destruction of bone and cartilage, and extra-articular disease manifestations. The pain experience in RA patients is considerable and requires skillful chronic management. New treatments and an intensified approach of early intervention in RA can prevent joint damage and favorably change the long-term prognosis of RA.

Target Audience
This 1-hour CME/CE/CPE activity is designed for physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and pharmacists.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants should be better able to:

• Recognize the importance of including emotional, social, and productivity outcomes in assessing the efficacy of RA therapy
• Apply current diagnostic approaches and assess emerging criteria for the timely diagnosis of RA 
• Incorporate functional goals, such as ability to work and perform household tasks, into overall treatment objectives
• Apply shared decision-making models to develop patient-centered, individualized RA treatment plans that include pharmacologic and
  nonpharmacologic interventions

Pharmacist Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants should be better able to:

• Recognize the importance of including emotional, social, and productivity outcomes in assessing the efficacy of RA therapy
• Describe current and emerging diagnostic criteria utilized in the assessment of RA
• Describe functional goals, such as ability to work and perform household tasks, into overall treatment objectives
• Recommend shared decision-making models to develop patient-centered, individualized RA treatment plans that include pharmacologic and
  nonpharmacologic interventions
  

How to Obtain Credit
For successful completion of this activity, please complete a short presurvey; review the Web-based case, providing answers to your questions as necessary; and complete a short postsurvey and evaluation following the activity. You will then be prompted to print your certificate. This activity should take approximately 60 minutes to complete.

Accreditation and Designation
Physicians:
The American Academy of Pain Management is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education
for physicians.

The American Academy of Pain Management designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants:
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants can claim AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.

Nurses:
The American Academy of Pain Management is a provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 15881, for 1.0 contact hour.

 RNs outside of California must verify with their licensing agency for approval of this course. 

Pharmacists:
Purdue University College of Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. This is an application-based, continuing education activity of Purdue University, an equal access/equal opportunity institution. Universal Activity Number (UAN): 0018-9999-12-131-H01-P, 1.0 contact hour (0.1 CEU). Release Date: 08/22/2012. Expiration Date: 08/22/2013.

To receive the 1.0 contact hour of continuing education credit, pharmacists should complete the activity requirements and evaluation at the conclusion of the enduring activity. There are no fees or prerequisites to participate in this activity.

Faculty
Lisa G. Criscione-Schreiber, MD 
 Assistant Professor of Medicine
 Rheumatology Training Program Director 
 Duke University
 Durham, NC

Staff and Content Validation Reviewer Disclosures
The staff involved with this activity and any content validation reviewers of this activity have reported no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests.

Planning Committee/Faculty Disclosure
Dr. Criscione-Schreiber reported that she is a speaker for Abbott Laboratories and a consultant to MedIQ and Novella Clinical.

Debra Nelson-Hogan, Director of Education for the American Academy of Pain Management, reported that she has nothing to disclose. 

Disclaimer
The information provided in this activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical judgment of a health care provider relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient’s medical condition.

Contact Information
For questions regarding CME for this activity, you may reach the department of education at the American Academy of Pain Management at aapmedu@aapainmanage.org.

This activity is supported by educational grants from Genentech, Inc. and Abbott Laboratories.