Comprehensive MTM for patients with cardiovascular disease

Beginning this month, we are embarking on our next focus of comprehensive education. Your survey results indicated that cardiovascular therapeutics and medication therapy management (MTM) was the highest priority for participants of the diabetes series. To meet that educational need, we have designed a three-phase educational effort to provide the proper scaffolding of information to assist you with your patients with cardiovascular disease.

As many readers are aware, the new cholesterol and hypertension guidelines have been released. We have included expert up-to-date author education on these topics. In addition, we are focusing on antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapies for heart disease, smoking cessation, and weight management, to name a few. 

Building on the knowledge-based education found in the journal and digital versions online, we will periodically offer online interactive cases to assist you in applying the information to practice-relevant cases. These will be released in the upcoming months of May, August, and November 2014, and then February 2015. These case studies are designed to reinforce material learned in the preceding months. 

And finally, we will be offering live MTM and motivational interviewing training at regional meetings. This portion of the training will involve more comprehensive focus on strategies to enhance adherence; lifestyle changes; and identification, prevention, and resolution of medication-related problems in adult patients with cardiovascular disease.

Completion of all of the activities will earn a Certificate in MTM for Adult Patients with Cardiovascular Disease. Certificate training will enhance your resume or curriculum vitae and provide you with the necessary tools to advance your professional practice. 

There was an overwhelmingly positive response from those pharmacists who participated in the full MTM for Patients with Diabetes series last year. One of our participants had this to say about the program as a whole. “I would just like to offer feedback to you about the MTM event that was held earlier in the week. It was AWESOME. I was a little nervous about being prepared, but the speakers and facilitators were excellent, supportive,e and encouraging which made me feel more comfortable. I am SO GLAD I participated in this series, and I want to thank you so much for offering the opportunity. ”

Fulfill your New Year’s resolution to advance your career and assist your patients in gaining the best outcomes from their medications by participating in this important education. The full schedule of topics includes:

Knowledge-based Activities

February2014: MTM Essentials for Cholesterol Management

March 2014: MTM Essentials for Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) Management

April 2014: MTM Essentials for Hypertension Management, Part 1: Non-pharmacologic Therapy and Geriatric Considerations

May 2014: MTM Essentials for Hypertension Management, Part 2: Drug Therapy Considerations

June 2014: MTM Essentials for Heart Failure Management

July 2014: MTM Essentials for Antiplatelet Therapy in Cardiovascular Disease

August 2014: MTM Essentials for Atrial Fibrillation and Drug-Induced Arrhythmia Management

September 2014: MTM Essentials for Anticoagulant Management in Cardiovascular Disease

October 2014: Motivational Interviewing Techniques for Chronic Disease Management – Focus on Cardiovascular Disease                 

November 2014: MTM Essentials for Weight Management

December 2014: MTM Essentials for Smoking Cessation

January 2015: MTM Opportunities in Caring for the Patient with Cardiovascular Disease

Application-based activities          

May 2014: Case Studies in Cardiovascular Disease, Part 1: Cholesterol Management and CAD/PAD

August 2014: Case Studies in Cardiovascular disease, Part 2: Hypertension and Heart Failure)

November 2014: Case Studies in Cardiovascular disease, Part 3: Antiplatelet Therapy, Arrhythmia, and Anticoagulation

February 2015: Case Studies in Cardiovascular Disease, Part 4: Weight Management, Smoking Cessation, and Self-Care

Practice-based activities

Beginning May 2015 – 4 Live Meetings

Communication Skills Development for Health Behavior Change in Cardiovascular Disease Management (3 hours)

Cardiovascular Disease Update (1 hour)

Application of MTM Concepts to the Patient with Cardiovascular Disease: Case Discussion (4 hours)

Jill Fitzgerald, PharmD,is director of Pharmacy Professional Development and associate clinical professor at the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy (www.pharmacy.uconn.edu/academics/ce).