Rheumatology 101 for the Primary Care Clinician

Friday, July 19, 2024, 7:30 AM - 4:15 PM, Volney Richmond Auditorium, Seattle, WA

Online preregistration is closed.   For questions contact the Virginia Mason CME department at [email protected].

 

The Pacific Northwest is experiencing a critical shortage of rheumatologists. Despite efforts from multiple organizations, including the American College of Rheumatology, The Arthritis Foundation, The University of Washington, and Virginia Mason Medical Center, Washington State continues to rank near the bottom for access issues. In a May 2022 interview, Washington Rheumatology Alliance (WRA) President Jeff Peterson, MD noted with concern that rural patients are particularly underserved, with many competing with patients traveling from rural Idaho and Oregon for access to Washington based rheumatologists. This shortage of rheumatologists has resulted in fewer learning opportunities for primary care clinicians on rheumatology education, longer wait times for patients, and situations where primary care clinicians are managing patients with complex rheumatologic diseases for many months before rheumatologic care is established.

Virginia Mason Rheumatology developed this course to address this critical need and to support primary care clinicians. This course will provide training in the identification of common rheumatologic conditions and recognize when to discuss care management with rheumatologists in a timely manner to prevent patient morbidity and mortality. We aim to provide attendees with background and knowledge of common conditions seen by rheumatologists, including rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthropathy, systemic lupus erythematosus, vasculitis, and systemic sclerosis.

Teaching methods include lecture, Q&A with faculty, case presentation, and voice of the patient.

1. Recognize common presentations of rheumatic disease in children
2. Consider the effect of rheumatoidal conditions on performing activities of daily living
3. Recognize signs and symptoms of lupus and interpret serologies used in diagnosis and laboratory tests to assess disease activity in patients
4. Review differences between limited and diffuse systemic sclerosis
5. Identify key points when taking history of spondyloarthritis
6. Review updates to vaccination recommendations for immunosuppressed patients
7. Identify specific features of polyarthralgia that raise concern for polymyalgia rheumatica
8. Discuss associations with antibodies and specific rheumatologic diagnoses, markers of disease activity and prognosis
9. Identify rheumatoid arthritis by the pattern of joint involvement, common joint deformities and clinical features of inflammatory arthritis
10. Address common concerns that patients may have when starting a new biologic therapy

The Virginia Mason Medical Center is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Virginia Mason Medical Center designates this live activity for a maximum of 7.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AAFP: The AAFP has reviewed Rheumatology 101 for the Primary Care Clinician and deemed it acceptable for up to 7.50 Live AAFP Prescribed credit(s). Term of Approval is from 07/19/2024 to 07/19/2024. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ (7.50 hours), AAFP Prescribed Credits (7.50 hours), Non-Physician Attendance (7.50 hours)

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

Virginia Mason Medical Center adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity, including faculty, planners, reviewers or others are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.

Friday, July 19, 2024