The Alzheimer’s Project CME Series
Because of an inadequate number of neurologists, psychiatrists, and geriatricians serving an increasing population of seniors with cognitive decline, most dementias will be diagnosed and managed by primary care practitioners. The Doctors Company is pleased to partner with Champions for Health to offer The Alzheimer’s Project, an on-demand CME series that trains primary care physicians and other healthcare practitioners on standardized screening, evaluation, and management of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. You are encouraged to take all the courses in the sequence presented.
Alzheimer’s 1: Screening for Dementia among Adults with Cognitive Decline (1.25 hours of credit)
This activity includes eight video lectures and is the first in a series of four courses that seek to educate clinicians on standardized screening, evaluation, and disease management of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. This first course focuses on introducing the Alzheimer’s Project and highlighting the increasingly important role of primary care providers in dementia care. This course also introduces the Alzheimer’s Project cognitive impairment screening algorithm and screening instruments and covers addressing reversible conditions that may present similar symptoms to cognitive impairment.
Alzheimer’s 2: Evaluation and Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (1.5 hours of credit)
This activity includes eight video lectures and is the second in a series of four courses that seek to educate clinicians on standardized screening, evaluation, and disease management of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. this second course introduces the Alzheimer’s project evaluation algorithm and evaluation instruments and focuses on differential diagnoses. finally, the course discusses how to prepare and engage in a sensitive dementia diagnosis disclosure with patients and caregivers.
Alzheimer’s 3: Addressing and Managing Behavioral and Environmental Symptoms of Dementia (1.25 hours of credit)
This activity includes eight video lectures and is the third in a series of four courses that seek to educate clinicians on standardized screening, evaluation, and disease management of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. This third course focuses on using the DICE method to assess behavioral symptoms of dementia and create and evaluation treatment plans. This course also covers the careful use of medication during disease management as wells as common behavioral issues with dementia patients including tools for management of these behaviors.
Alzheimer’s 4: Addressing Patients’ and Families’ Needs through the Disease Stages of Dementia (1.75 hours of credit)
This activity includes seven video lectures and is the fourth in a series of four courses that seek to educate clinicians on standardized screening, evaluation, and disease management of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. This fourth course covers life planning through disease stages, assessing & assisting caregivers, improving communications, utilizing community resources, and end of life decision making. These sensitive conversations with patients. The course finishes with a focus on dementia resources, effective communication strategies, and understanding when it is time to make a referral to a specialist.
Alzheimer’s 5: Use of Pharmacotherapy for Patients with Major Neurocognitive Disorder (1.75 CME Credits)
This activity includes video lectures and is the fifth in a series of courses that seek to educate clinicians on standardized screening, evaluation, and disease management of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. This fifth course focuses on the most frequently used and FDA-approved prescription medications for Alzheimer's disease and dementias, the current research regarding its use, and guidelines for prescribing and discontinuing medication. The program will incorporate cultural values and beliefs when creating and sharing the pharmacological care plan.
Alzheimer’s 6: Pharmacological Management of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (1.5 CME Credits)
This is the sixth in the series of on-demand webinars training on screening, evaluation, and management of dementia. This webinar details how to discern the signs and symptoms of dementia from other psychiatric issues, and how to effectively treat these symptoms with pharmacological interventions.
Alzheimer’s 7: Questions and Answers —What Physicians Ask About Diagnosing and Treating Dementia (1.5 CME Credits)
This activity consists of eight videos and is the seventh in a series of courses that seek to educate clinicians on standardized screening, evaluation, and disease management of Alzheimer's and related dementia. This course focuses on the common concerns and questions expressed by physicians about dementia and cognitive impairment. This course covers making the initial observation of cognitive decline and beginning a conversation with older adult patients, overcoming common barriers to making a definitive diagnosis of dementia, and managing the ongoing clinical needs of patients experiencing dementia.
Champions for Health is the non-profit arm of the San Diego County Medical Society. Their vision, Physicians Improving Health, Changing Lives, is reflected in their involvement with The Alzheimer’s Project Clinical Roundtable and this educational series. The six courses are designed to assist primary care physicians and other practitioners to deal more effectively with the rising number of individuals in their practice who are experiencing memory loss and dementia, and the associated monumental number of family members and caregivers affected by this profound category of disease.
The series was developed with support from San Diego State University San Diego/Imperial Geriatric Education Center, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.