Rockpointe CME Accredited Webcourse Prepares Advanced Practice Providers for NMT-LD Diagnosis and Care

Nontuberculous mycobacteria lung disease (NTM-LD), associated with significant morbidity and mortality and bearing 5-year survival rates similar to that of patients with lung cancer, is on the rise A dramatic increase in NTM-LD’s incidence and prevalence in recent decades and has continued during the COVID-19 pandemic.  This increase in the incidence of NTM has strained the management capacity of the limited number of pulmonologists and infectious disease physicians, leading advanced practice providers (APP) to assume more prominent roles in diagnosing and managing patients with NTM-LD. NTM is attributed to environmental factors often related to climate change.  To familiarize these clinicians with the complexities of NTM diagnosis and treatment, the Potomac Center for Medical Education and Rockpointe have launched a free CME/CE webcourse that is available until Dec. 15, 2022.

Even as APPs take on more responsibilities in managing patients with NTM-LD, conversations with NTM physicians and APPs, as well as practice pattern studies of pulmonologists, reveal multiple gaps in knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding the diagnosis and management of NTM-LD. Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Lung Disease: Management Strategies for Advanced Practice Providers addresses the gaps in NTM-LD care by reviewing current evidence-based criteria for diagnosis and recommendations for treatment. This hour-long program, geared toward nurse practitioners and physician assistants, is developed by expert physicians and APPs who manage patients with NTM-LD daily and understand the barriers and issues that APPs confront in the complex nature of NTM diagnosis and treatment.

At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:

• Recognize patient risk factors for NTM lung disease.
• Accurately interpret testing results required for diagnosing NTM-LD.
• Communicate effectively with patients regarding the diagnosis of NTM-LD.
• Implement evidence-based strategies for managing and monitoring side effects of NTM-LD therapies.
• Educate patients undergoing NTM treatment about selected treatments, related side effects, monitoring strategies, and treatment adherence.

This program is CME, AANP, and AAPA certified and qualifies the participant for 1 hour of credit, including .50 AAPA hours of pharmacology. There is no fee for this activity, which is supported by an educational grant from Insmed and is jointly provided by PCME and Rockpointe in collaboration with the CHEST Foundation. Full accreditation information will be provided to participants prior to starting the course.

Through effective accredited continuing education, Rockpointe, a leader in educational programming with more than 26 years of experience, strives to improve and advance the quality of patient care. Its educational programs have been at the forefront of new issues in healthcare, including implementing MIPS, combatting the nation’s opioid and COVID-19 crises, recognizing issues with vaping, and utilizing technical advances in care. Sign up for Rockpointe’s CME course catalog and view a list of current educational opportunities, including on-demand webcourse offerings and live webinars, at www.rockpointe.com.

As part of its commitment to quality, Rockpointe works to inform the continuing-education community of significant quality-improvement issues through news and analysis on Policy & Medicine, which offers a daily look at legal, regulatory, and compliance issues affecting the pharmaceutical and device industry. Rockpointe also publishes Policy & Medicine Compliance Update, a monthly publication that provides a concise update on compliance issues facing the life science industry and goes in-depth into important cases, laws, and regulations in straightforward articles. At Rockpointe, education equals quality.

To view Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Lung Disease: Management Strategies for Advanced Practice Providers, click here.