OVERVIEW

Helping Patients with COPD Breathe Easier is organized by Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) and will be held during Feb 28, 2017 - Feb 28, 2020. This CME Conference has been approved for a maximum of 2.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits.

Course Description :
The goal of the educational program is to help practitioners assess the comparative effectiveness and safety of medications used to manage the symptoms of COPD; understand the evidence regarding appropriate therapy; weigh the benefits, risks, and value of treatment options; and improve the quality of prescribing and patient care. In addition to providing this evidence document, the education program uses an innovative approach: academic detailing, which involves one-on-one educational sessions in physicians' offices with trained outreach educators who present the educational material interactively. Reference cards for clinicians and education materials for family members are also provided.

Conference Objectives are :
• Use spirometry data and clinical symptoms to diagnose and follow COPD patients according to the GOLD 4-stage classification system.
• For patients who smoke, begin by assessing their willingness to quit, and then tailor recommendations appropriate for their stage of readiness.
• Prescribe a regimen of exercise, good nutrition, and immunizations at all stages of COPD.
• Match drug therapy to disease severity according to the new GOLD 4-stage system.
• Prescribe oxygen for patients with chronic hypoxemia.
• Treat acute exacerbations aggressively with short-acting bronchodilators, systemic steroids and antibiotics where appropriate.

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