Rheumatology 101 for the Primary Care Clinician

Friday, March 25, 2022, 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM, Volney Richmond Auditorium, Seattle, WA

Washington State is experiencing a shortage of rheumatologists, ranking #50 out of 50 according to the 2015 joint American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and Association of Rheumatology Health Professional Workforce Survey. Nationally, the rheumatology labor force supply is expected decline sharply by 2030 from 4,497 full-time equivalent (FTE) to 3,455, pushing excess demand to more than double supply. In Washington State, the situation is expected to become exceptionally dire as our state’s rheumatologists support a large number of patients from Alaska, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and even Canada. Furthermore, this shortage of rheumatologists has contributed to fewer rheumatology educational opportunities for primary care providers.

This course is designed to train primary care providers to recognize common rheumatologic conditions and know when to discuss care management with rheumatologists 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, many forms of vasculitis, systemic sclerosis, dermatomyositis/polymyositis, crystalline arthropathies, and osteoporosis. We will discuss helpful laboratory tests and imaging modalities in diagnosing inflammatory polyarthritis. We will also review aspects of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) treatment and monitoring that are high yield for primary care providers.

1. Discuss new approaches expected to change the outcomes for rheumatoid arthritis patients in the next five years
2. Review key history and physical exam findings for each form of spondyloarthritis
3. Summarize current evidence for the role of diet in gout, inflammatory arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus
4. Recognize rheumatoid arthritis by the pattern of joint involvement, common joint deformities and clinical features of inflammatory arthritis
5. Describe the differential diagnosis for and how to classify inflammatory myositis
6. Review the epidemiology, diagnostic work-up and management of polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis
7. Discuss organ-system specific manifestations of systemic sclerosis
8. Determine three instances when a patient would postpone taking their biologic injection

Tuition: $195.00

Online registration will be open through Wednesday, March 22, 2022.  For registration assistance, call the CME department at 206.341.0142.

Cancellation and Refund Policy: Refunds will be made for a fee of $25 if written notice of cancellation is received at least 14 calendar days prior to the activity.

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 8.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AAFP: Application for CME credit has been filed with the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). Determination of credit is pending.

Parking: Parking is not included with registration. Virginia Mason's downtown parking facilities are limited and reserved for patients, therefore we offer this map of public lots with walking routes to the Lindeman Pavilion.

Seattle Public transportation: Metro Bus routes serving the First Hill neighborhood include 2, 10, 12, 60, 193, and 303. Please consult the Metro Trip Planner for route information and schedules.

AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ (8.25 hours), Non-Physician Attendance (8.25 hours), American Academy of Family Physicians (0.00 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, March 25, 2022