Release date: September 1, 2010 Termination date: September 1, 2012 Available credit: 1.0 The estimated time to complete this activity is 1.0 hours.
Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break. If not prevented or if left untreated, osteoporosis can progress painlessly until a bone breaks. These broken bones, also known as fractures, occur typically in the hip, spine, and wrist.
Any bone can be affected, but of special concern are fractures of the hip and spine. A hip fracture almost always requires hospitalization and major surgery. It can impair a person's ability to walk unassisted and may cause prolonged or permanent disability or even death. Spinal or vertebral fractures also have serious consequences, including loss of height, severe back pain, and deformity.
Public health experts have recognized that bone health and osteoporosis can have a significant impact on the overall health and wellbeing of Americans. Prevention and early recognition of the condition can lead to treatment of osteoporosis and related bone diseases which in turn will minimize the negative impact of osteoporosis on the elderly in particular.
This activity is designed to meet the educational needs of physicians; Pharmacists; Nurses; and other healthcare professionals.
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AB 1820: This bill requires sufficient course work in the field of geriatrics for medical students and physicians to ensure that every general internist and family physician has the requisite knowledge and skills to competently treat California’s older population by the year 2010.
General internists and family physicians who have 25% or more of their patients 65 years of age or older are required to complete at least 20% (five hours per year) of their mandatory Category I CME in the field of geriatrics. All other physicians are encouraged to take courses in geriatrics including geriatric pharmacology.
As a provider accredited by the Institute for Medical Quality/California Medical Association, and in accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) Standards for Commercial Support: Standards to Ensure Independence in CME Activities, it is the policy of SCAN Health Plan to ensure balance, independence, objectivity and scientific rigor in all of its continuing medical education (CME) activities. SCAN Health Plan requires everyone who is in a position to control the content of a CME activity to disclose all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest. This information is utilized to 1) determine if a conflict exists, 2) resolve the conflict by initiating a content validation process, and 3) advise learners of this information. Any individual who refuses to (or chooses not to) disclose relevant financial relationships will be disqualified from participating as an instructor, planner or manager and cannot have control of or responsibility for the development, management, presentation or evaluation of a CME activity certified by SCAN Health Plan. Disclosures received by SCAN Health Plan from individuals in a position to control CME content are made transparent to learners prior to participating in the activity. SCAN Health Plan discloses the following information to learners: 1) the name of the individual, 2) the name of the commercial interest(s), and 3) the nature of the relationship the individual has with the commercial interest. SCAN Health Plan also discloses to learners the name(s) of commercial interests supporting each CME activity.
The following planners had no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.
The following planners have disclosed a relevant financial relationship
The following faculty had no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose.