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ForwardDementia Care in the Biomarker Era
Dementia in the Biomarker Era is a practical course designed to help clinicians navigate the rapidly changing landscape of dementia diagnosis and treatment. Through case-based learning, participants will strengthen their approach to cognitive evaluation, brain health counseling, biomarker use, anti-amyloid treatment decisions, medication management, and communication with patients and care partners.
Target Audience
This activity is intended for physicians, nurses, social workers within the MGB Division of Palliative Care, Aging, and Geriatric Medicine.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:
- Review clinical differences between cognitive syndromes and their corresponding underlying pathology. Recognize that pathology can overlap.
- Discuss brain health and resilience using the 2024 Lancet Commission and US POINTER.
- Distinguish between normal aging, cognitive impairment, and possible early dementia and order appropriate initial workup.
- Evaluate when and how to use FDA-cleared blood biomarkers for an outpatient and interpret the result. Identify when a patient needs amyloid PET.
- Apply current anti-amyloid eligibility criteria. Present the benefits and risks of therapy honestly, and guide the decision by the patient's values.
- Prescribe or deprescribe symptomatic treatment for AD within overall medication optimization, and manage behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia appropriately.
- Report a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or dementia using an evidence-based communication approach, including setting, language and care partner involvement.
Additional Information
Course summary
- 3.00 ABIM Medical Knowledge
- 3.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- 3.00 Nursing Contact Hours
- 3.00 Participation
- 3.00 Continuing Education (CE) for Psychologists
All portions of this activity are facilitated by Kathryn Hanley, MD & Charles Pu, MD, FACP, CMD
| 1:00pm | Welcome, Learning Objectives & Pre-Test |
| 1:10 | Overview of Dementia & Alzheimer's Diagnosis: Cognitive Syndromes, Pathology & Co-Pathology |
| 1:25 | "What Can I Do to Prevent This?" Brain Health & Dementia Risk Reduction |
| 1:45 | Normal Aging, Cognitive Impairment, or Early Dementia? |
| 2:05 | The Blood Test & What Comes After: Biomarkers & Amyloid PET |
| 2:25 | "Can I Get the New Drug?" Anti-Amyloid Eligibility, Benefits, Risks & Values |
| 3:00 | One Patient, Two Problems: Medication Optimization & Behavioral Symptoms |
| 3:30 | Telling the Patient: Communicating a Diagnosis of MCI or Dementia |
| 3:45 | Referrals, Resources & Key Practice Takeaways |
| 3:55 | Post-Test & Commitment to Change |
| 4:00pm | Adjournment |
Kathryn Hanley, MD - Course Director
Attending Physician, Geriatric Medicine - Massachusetts General Hospital
Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Charles Pu, MD, FACP, CMD
Distinguished Physician, Division of Palliative Care & Geriatric Medicine - Massachusetts General Hospital
Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School
Senior Medical Director, MassHealth Office of Long-Term Services & Supports - UMass Chan Medical School
In support of improving patient care, Mass General Brigham is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Credit Designation Statements per offering
AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM
Mass General Brigham designates this live activity for a maximum of 3 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Nursing
Mass General Brigham designates this activity for 3 ANCC contact hours. Nurses should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Psychologist
In support of improving patient care, Mass General Brigham is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
3 Continuing Education (CE) credits are awarded.
Social Workers
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Mass General Brigham is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Mass General Brigham maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 6 continuing education credit.
Maintenance of Certification (MOC)
American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) MOC Recognition Statement
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 3 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.
Available Credit
- 3.00 ABIM Medical Knowledge
- 3.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- 3.00 Nursing Contact Hours
- 3.00 Participation
- 3.00 Continuing Education (CE) for Psychologists