Obesity and COVID-19 in the Outpatient Setting: What Clinicians Need to Know
Released On
September 25, 2020
Expires On
September 25, 2021
Media Type
Internet
Completion Time
60 minutes
Specialty
Primary Care
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Jointly provided by Potomac Center for Medical Education and Rockpointe.


This nursing continuing professional development activity was approved by the Maryland Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
In collaboration with National Council for Behavioral Health

Supported by an educational grant from Novo Nordisk Inc.
Credit Available
- Physicians — maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- Physicians — 1.0 ABIM MOC Points
- Pharmacists — 1.0 hours (0.10 CEUs) of Continuing Education Credit
- Nurses — 1.0 contact hour
All other health care professionals completing this course will be issued a statement of participation.
Target Audience
The intended audience for this educational initiative is clinicians responsible for the daily management of patients with obesity.
Program Overview
Multiple studies have demonstrated that patients with obesity are at increased risk for more severe COVID-19 disease. Physiological, anatomical, and psychological factors underly this increased risk and should be considered as patients with obesity are counseled about preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection and during the management of those who have COVID-19. Fortunately, guidance is being developed by the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO). In particular, the EASO recommends that clinicians continue to implement obesity management strategies despite social distancing or quarantine.
COVID-19 is a new disease and the understanding of its pathophysiology and treatment continues to evolve. In addition to information about managing patients with obesity, clinicians need to remain current to understand how recommended therapies work and optimize their use as they become available. The program, “Obesity and COVID-19 in the Outpatient Setting: What Clinicians Need to Know,” will provide information that clinicians require to appropriately advise patients with obesity on how to avoid infection, monitor their patients with obesity who develop COVID-19, and recognize and manage complications as they occur to minimize morbidity and mortality
Agenda
Welcome and introductions
Understanding the Pathophysiology of COVID-19
Factors that Increase the Risks of COVID-19 for Patients with Obesity
Developing Strategies to Manage Patients with Obesity during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Q&A session
Learning Objectives
The proposed initiative is designed to address ACGME and NAM competencies, including delivering patient-centered care and practicing evidence-based medicine.
This program is designed to address ACPE competencies, including foundational knowledge, essentials for practice and care, and approaches to practice and care.
At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:
- Discuss the most current understanding of the pathophysiology of COVID-19
- Describe factors that increase the risks of COVID-19 for patients with obesity
- Develop strategies for individualized management of patients with obesity during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Provide counsel to patients with obesity regarding concerns or fears related to COVID-19
Faculty
J. Morgan Freiman, MD, MSc
Infectious Diseases Physician
Director of Antimicrobial Stewardship
Lahey Hospital and Medical Center
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Tufts University School of Medicine
Boston, MA
Ted Kyle, RPh, MBA
Founder, ConscienHealth
Pittsburgh, PA
Donna H. Ryan, MD
Professor Emerita
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
New Orleans, LA
Bridget M. Slusarek, RN, BSN, MBA
Registered Nurse
Forest Lake, MN
Accreditation Statement
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Potomac Center for Medical Education and Rockpointe. The Potomac Center for Medical Education is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Credit Designation
The Potomac Center for Medical Education designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
For information about the accreditation of this activity, please email: contact@potomacme.org.
ABIM MOC Designation Statement
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 1.00 Medical Knowledge MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.
To receive CME credit and/or MOC points, you MUST pass the post-test and complete the evaluation. For ABIM MOC points, your information will be shared with the ABIM through the ACCME Program and Activity Reporting System (PARS). Please allow 6-8 weeks for your MOC points to appear on your ABIM records.
Pharmacist Accreditation Statement
The Potomac Center for Medical Education is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.
For information about this continuing pharmacy education (CPE) activity, please email: contact@potomacme.org.
Pharmacist Credit Designation
The Potomac Center for Medical Education designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 contact hours (0.10 CEUs) of continuing education credit (UAN number 0418-9999-20-004-H01-P).
This is a knowledge-based activity.
Nursing Credit Statement
This nursing continuing professional development activity was approved by the Maryland Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
Disclosures of Conflicts of Interest
The Potomac Center for Medical Education (PCME) adheres to the policies and guidelines, including the Standards for Commercial Support, set forth to providers by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and all other professional organizations, as applicable, stating those activities where continuing education credits are awarded must be balanced, independent, objective, and scientifically rigorous.
All persons in a position to control the content of a continuing medical education program provided by PCME are required to disclose any relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest to PCME as well as to learners. All conflicts of interest are identified and resolved by PCME in accordance with the Standards for Commercial Support in advance of delivery of the activity to learners.
Program Faculty
The faculty, authors and content developers reported the following relevant financial relationships that they or their spouse/partner have with commercial interests:
J. Morgan Freiman, MD, MSc
- Nothing to disclose
Ted Kyle, RPh, MBA
- Consultant/Independent Contractor: Gelesis, Novo Nordisk, Tivity Health
Donna H. Ryan, MD
- Consultant/Independent Contractor: Amgen, Bausch Health, Boehringer Ingelheim, Calibrate, Epitommee, IFA Celtic, Kintai, Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Real Appeal, Sanofi;
- Honoraria: Amgen, Bausch Health, Boeringer Ingelheim, Calibrate, Epitommee, IFA Celtic, Kintai, Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Real Appeal, Sanofi;
- Speaker's Bureau: Novo Nordisk;
- Stock Shareholder: Gila Therapetutics, Phenomix, Scientific Intake
Bridget M. Slusarek, RN, BSN, MBA
- Nothing to disclose
Planners and Managers
The planners and mangers reported the following relevant financial relationships that they or their spouse/partner have with commercial interests:
Terry Ann Glauser, MD, MPH
- Nothing to disclose
Content Reviewers
The content reviewers reported the following relevant financial relationships that they or their spouse/partner have with commercial interests:
Katie Propst, PhD; Janice Agazio, PhD, CRNP, RN, FAANP, FAAN
- Nothing to disclose
Instructions for Participation and Credit
There is no fee for this educational activity. In order to receive credit, you must watch the webcast, pass the posttest with a score of 75% or greater, and complete the evaluation. You will have multiple opportunities to take and pass the posttest.
Hardware and Software Requirements
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Disclosure of Unlabeled Use
The contents of some CME/CE activities may contain discussions of non-approved or off-label uses of some agents mentioned. Please consult the prescribing information for full disclosure of approved uses.
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