Four individual CME activities are available through the journal each year.

This activity is intended for transplant pharmacists with an interest in solid organ transplantation.

There are numerous published studies and reports regarding organ donor issues, surgical procedures, changes in immunosuppression regimens, risk factors for graft survival, and graft rejections.^3–7 However, additional investigations are needed to provide clinicians with practical applications of research on solid organ transplantation and to develop new pharmacological agents to minimize organ rejection^8,9 and provide better patient care.

In order to fulfill the evidence-based practice competency standards cited by the Institute of Medicine¹⁰ to integrate best research with clinical expertise and patient values for optimum care, and participate in learning and research activities to the extent feasible, a more complete understanding of current and possible future treatments for patients with diseases requiring solid organ transplantation is required.

The educational design (print- and online-based, distance-learning activity) of this CME program will provide participants with the latest research on transplant procedures, outcomes, patient management, and graft survival directly from leading experts. The publication’s Editor-in-Chief (Arthur J. Matas) recruited recognized experts in the area of solid organ transplantation to author the CME activity’s content. The participating authors worked with the Editor to establish the activity’s learning objectives based on the target audience educational needs and developed CME quiz questions. The format and design of this CME activity has previously proven to be a credible and well-liked vehicle for the continuing medical education of physicians and to help improve overall patient care. This is evidenced by the numbers of physicians participating in such activities over the last two years, as evidenced by data compiled by the ACCME from its accredited providers.

Participants will have an opportunity to complete an evaluation assessment questionnaire that will facilitate an overall metric to assess program outcomes and lead to improvement of LCMEI’s overall CME mission: quality of education, fair balance, value/applicability of learned material within clinical practice, and provide participants with the opportunity to suggest topics for future development of transplantation CME activities.

References

Editor-in-Chief

Arthur J. Matas, MD, Professor, Department of Surgery, Director, Renal Transplant Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
(Dr. Matas was/is a recipient of research grants from Astellas, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Genzyme, Novartis, Roche, and Wyeth.)

Pharmacy Editor

Julie A. Golembiewski, PharmD, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.
(Dr. Golembiewski was/is a recipient of research grants from Hospira,Inc.; was/is a consultant for Baxter and Organon; and was/is on the speakers bureau of Baxter and Merck.)

Nurse Editor

Kim D. Phillips, RN, BSN, CCTC, Education and Community Outreach Coordinator, Transplant Program, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
(Ms. Phillips has disclosed that she has no significant relationships with, or financial interests in, any commercial organizations pertaining to this educational activity.)

Other Staff (LCMEI, WKH, Other)

Karen Innocent (Director of CE [Nursing]) has disclosed that her spouse is an employee of Merck & Co. All other persons in a position to control the content of this CME activity have disclosed that they have no financial relationships with, or financial interests in, any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Lippincott CME Institute, Inc. has identified and resolved any faculty conflicts of interest regarding this educational program and individual activities.

Learning objectives for each CME activity are procured and printed prior to each CME article in each issue.

The Lippincott CME Institute, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.