EULAR Congress 2008: Focus on Rheumatoid Arthritis--Case Study

Faculty

Needs Statement

RA affects 2.1 million Americans resulting in more than 9 million physician visits and more than 250,000 hospitalizations per year. Disability from RA causes major economic loss and can have a profound impact on families. Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefit of treatment early in the disease and evidence of treatment on outcomes. New classes of therapeutic agents and recent advances in the diagnosis and management of RA have been introduced. In addition, the rheumatologist should provide support and consultation to the patients and their primary care physician in the diagnosis and treatment of the RA.

Target Audience

This activity is intended for rheumatologists and other health care professionals who treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives

1. Implement recent advances in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of rheumatic diseases;
2. Review and interpret basic knowledge and skills in rheumatology;
3. Integrate new principles to improve their everyday practice of rheumatology.

Accreditation

Medicine
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint sponsorship of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and CME Solutions. The University of Kentucky College of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The University of Kentucky College of Medicine designates this educational activity for a maximum of 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Each physician should claim only those hours of credit actually spent in the educational activity.

The University of Kentucky College of Medicine presents this activity for educational purposes only. Participants are expected to utilize their own expertise and judgment while engaged in the practice of medicine. The content of the presentations is provided solely by presenters who have been selected for presentations because of recognized expertise in their field.

Nursing
AdvancMed, LLC is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

AdvancMed is a provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #13429. AdvancMed provides this activity for 0.50 nursing contact hour(s).

Faculty Disclosure

Dr. Singer has disclosed the following:
Consultants/Speaker’s Bureau - Abbott Immunology
Honoraria - BMS
Grants/Contracts - Merck, Pfizer, Zymogenetics, Serono, Genentech, Roche, Amgen, Endo, ALR, NIH, Arthritis Foundation

Activity Sponsorship

This activity is jointly sponsored by the University of Kentucky, CME Solutions, and AdvancMed. Supported by an unrestricted educational grant from, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Genentech Inc., and Biogen Idec Inc..