OVERVIEW

A Tale of Hope and Caution: Update on Clostridium difficile & Gram-negative Infections is organized by Vemco MedEd, LLC and will be held from Jul 16, 2018 - Jul 16, 2019.

Target Audience:
This activity is planned to meet the needs of pharmacists, physicians and other healthcare professionals in a variety of practice settings, including large and small healthcare systems, outpatient clinics, managed care organizations, long-term care facilities, and academia who are responsible for caring for patients with serious bacterial infections.

Accreditation:
Physicians:
Center designates this Enduring material for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.

Pharmacists:
Center has assigned 1.25 contact hours (0.125 CEUs) of continuing pharmacy education credits for participating in this activity.

Course Description:
The prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative pathogens (such as ESBL-producing and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and MDR P. aeruginosa), as well as the spread of hypervirulent C. difficile, continue to contribute to the national healthcare crisis. In response, the CDC and WHO have identified these priority pathogens as serious healthcare threats that continue to challenge clinicians. ID physicians and pharmacists, as an essential part of interprofessional teams and Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs, must continue to spread awareness and implement the latest evidence-based strategies to minimize the burden of these infections.

With the development of several new and emerging antimicrobials that target MDR Gram-negative bacteria, ID clinicians must have a thorough understanding of how to optimally utilize these agents in a pathogen-specific manner. Additionally, the recent release of the updated IDSA guidelines on C. difficile infections provides the latest recommendations for hospital clinicians on the treatment of CDI while minimizing the risk of recurrent episodes. This program is designed to build competence, confidence, and skills in the management of serious bacterial infections while increasing the understanding of how to incorporate the latest clinical approaches into practice.

Course Objectives:
Upon completing this activity, participants will be able to:

• Describe current epidemiological trends and resistance mechanisms of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria
• Evaluate the potential role of new and emerging antimicrobial agents in the management of infections caused by MDR Gram-negative bacteria and C. difficile
• Implement the latest evidence-based approaches to treat C. difficile infection and prevent recurrent episodes

Additional details will be posted as soon as they are available.