Home

CME Live Seminars
CME Video DVD
CME Audio CD/MP3
   Course Titles
   About the Program
   Quick Order
   Certificate Packages
   Accreditation
   Money Back Guarantee
   Tax Deductibility
   Testimonials

Subscribe
Request Brochure
Hold Seat
Testing Online
Faculty
Resources
Contact Us

Specific Learning Objectives
Additional Certificate Packages
Refer a Colleague to Our Website
What do our past participants have to say?

by Glenn Eiger, M.D., F.C.C.P. - Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University; Associate Professor of Medicine; Director, Internal Medicine Residency Program and Associate Chairman, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA; by Gregory Tino, M.D., F.C.C.P. - University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Associate Professor of Medicine; Chief, Pulmonary Clinical Service, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; and by Kendal Williams, M.D., M.P.H. - University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Assistant Clinical Professor, Hospitalist Division; Service Chief, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center; Director, UPHS Center for Evidence-Based Practice, Philadelphia, PA.

OVERALL OBJECTIVES: The overall objective is to provide the participant with practical and clinically relevant information. Upon completion of this CME activity, the physician or healthcare provider should be able to describe the current approach to formulating differential diagnoses, diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive management of the various disciplines presented.

EDUCATIONAL GAP AND NEEDS ANALYSIS STATEMENT: Critical Care medicine impacts all Hospitalists and many Primary Care Practitioners who work in the hospital environment daily. In this setting they must maintain adequate knowledge to rapidly diagnose and effectively treat these commonly seen conditions, many with possible serious and even fatal consequences if not properly diagnosed and treated. Needs analysis specifically identifies the ability to accurately assess or diagnose and appropriately treat patients who present with such disorders as DM, Acute Respiratory Failure, Stroke and Acid-Base Disturbances. These disorders demand select knowledge and skills that the Hospitalist and PCP working in the inpatient services must maintain. In addition, the knowledge and skills necessary to diagnose and rapidly treat Shock, requiring Hemodynamic Monitoring, and Mechanical Ventilation are also important due to their frequent occurrence in the hospital and critical care settings. Educational gap analysis has identified two areas that must be addressed: increased knowledge and increased confidence on the part of the Hospitalist and PCP’s in these areas of Critical Care. To address these needs and close these gaps, this activity, designed from peer reviewed live presentations and other sources, presents current thinking and new information that will help Critical Care specialists, the Hospitalist and PCP’s working in the hospital environment maintain and update their knowledge and provide them with the confidence to diagnose and treat their patients efficiently and effectively thereby improving outcomes.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
TOPIC 1	Shock and Hemodynamic Monitoring - Shock is a common problem in the intensive care unit. Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: 1. Define shock and describe the causes. We will focus on the pathophysiology of common entities. 2. Characterize basic resuscitation techniques including volume replacement and the use of vasopressors. The discussion will include a review of early goal directed therapy. 3. Recognize the current controversies surrounding the use of invasive hemodynamic monitoring. 4. Define new treatments for septic shock. This will include the use of activated protein C and the role of corticosteroids.
TOPIC 2	Inpatient Management of Diabetes - Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: 1. Describe the basic principles of the inpatient management of diabetes. 2. Review the use of basal insulin and short acting insulin analogues in the hospital. 3. Review the evidence supporting the avoidance of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia in the hospital setting. 4. Discuss the transitional strategies for new or poorly controlled diabetics from inpatient to outpatient care.
TOPIC 3	Acute Respiratory Failure and Mechanical Ventilation - We will provide a practical review of this exciting topic. We will cover the basics of mechanical ventilation. Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: 1. Characterize the pathophysiology and differential diagnosis of acute hypoxemic and hypersonic respiratory failure. 2. Describe the pathophysiology and differential diagnosis of acute respiratory failure. 3. Identify the basic concepts of management for patients on mechanical ventilation. 4. Differentiate commonly used ventilator modes. We will also discuss the use of positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP). 5. Identify the indications for and complications of mechanical ventilation. 6. Characterize weaning, including general principles and strategies for weaning from mechanical ventilation.
TOPIC 4	Update on the Management of Stroke - Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: 1. Review common presentations of cerebrovascular insufficiency. 2. Update the initial management of a suspected acute cerebrovascular accident. 3. Describe cutting edge strategies and therapies for the management of hemorrhagic and thrombotic strokes. 4. Characterize the prognosis and initial rehabilitation strategies for CVA patients.
TOPIC 5	Approach to Acid-Base Disturbances - Upon completion of this session, the participant should be able to: 1. Identify primary metabolic and respiratory acid- base disturbances and their compensatory mechanisms. 2. Discover a formal, stepwise approach to the interpretation of any acid-base problem. 3. Outline the differential diagnosis of the major simple and mixed acid-base disturbances. 4. Several illustrative case studies will be discussed.
TOPICS 6&7	Critical Care Cases for Review, Part I and Part II - A variety of Critical Care cases will be presented with audience participation. X-rays and other diagnostic studies will be shown in an attempt to emphasize some of the common problems seen in the ICU. Cases will include a variety of pulmonary as well as non-pulmonary topics and evidence-based sources will be referenced.