Connections: Reflections from the Frontlines of the COVID Pandemic - Episode 1

Needs Statement

In the early months of 2020, a new respiratory viral infection appeared in China.  The virus, SARS-COV-2 (for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) would lead to a global pandemic in producing COVID-19 disease. Little was known about the disease, its spread, its many manifestations, treatments, and the long-term complications of infections. Globally experts across public health, epidemiology, genetics and genomics, virology, vaccine development, drug development, clinical research, clinical medicine, supply chains, transportation, telecommunications, and telemedicine, and more, responded rapidly as the pandemic spread and the challenges in management became increasingly complex.  New variants arose and continue to arise.  As we move to the close of the first two years of the experience, there are reasons for hope as vaccines and therapeutic agents have become available and been deployed. Much has been learned and has been and continues to be captured in the literature about the clinical approaches to care.  However, within and across our organizations, institutions, hospitals, and clinics, there is a rich experience of innovation, sacrifice, dedication, resilience, and individual heroism within our professionals who served on the frontlines across the pandemic and that can inform our planning for the future across many domains ranging from education and training, care coordination, logistics, team building, psychosocial support, and more. We have structured these as reflective, one-on-one conversations with colleagues from an array of professions and disciplines to share their narratives and reflect on what was lost, what was found, and what was discovered over the last 24 months.  There is much to be captured and learned before these memories diminish over time. 

Target Audience

Specialists and subspecialists, internists, primary care physicians, nurses, physician assistants, medical trainees, and students.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of the conference, participants should be able to:

  • Describe one or more themes that warrant consideration for planning purposes for improvements in the future.
  • Reflect on gaps that may have been revealed in current practice by an identified theme.
  • Identify what steps that you might take, if any, over the next 12 months.

Educational Methods

Podcast and Graphic Illustrations

Activity Evaluation

Evaluation by questionnaire will address program content, presentation, and possible bias.

Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 0.50 Participation
Course opens: 
04/01/2022
Course expires: 
03/31/2024
Rating: 
0

Method of Participation

This activity includes interviews with healthcare professionals and staff serving on the frontlines in providing or supporting care during the COVID-19 pandemic are used to communicate the experiences, challenges, and reflections in responding to the unprecedented challenges in care. The interviews are delivered in podcasts with select graphic illustrations and will be released on an ongoing basis.

To receive a certificate you should:

  • View the podcast in this enduring material.
  • Complete and submit the CME/CE evaluation form.

The estimated time to complete this activity, including review of the materials, is 0.50 hour(s).

Hardware/software requirements: Activities should be run with recent versions of common browsers, including Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Google Chrome.

If you have questions about the participation process, please contact the Division of Continuing Professional Development by email cpd@bcm.edu or phone 713.798.8237.

Term of Approval

April 1, 2022 through March 31, 2024. Original release date: April 2022

Disclaimer

This CE activity is designed for use by healthcare professionals for educational purposes only. Information and opinion offered by the contributors represent their viewpoints. Conclusions drawn by the participant should be derived from careful consideration of all available scientific information. Prescription information and use of medical devices should be undertaken only after confirmation of information by consulting the FDA-approved uses and information.

Baylor College of Medicine makes every effort to have accurate information presented, no warranty, expressed or implied, is offered. The participant should use his/her clinical judgment, knowledge, experience, and diagnostic decision-making before applying any information, whether provided here or by others, for any professional use.

Links are provided to other Internet sites solely for the convenience of users. Once you link to another site, you are subject to the site's terms and conditions of use including copyright and licensing restrictions.

Drug/Device Status Disclosure

Some drugs/devices identified during this activity may have United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for specific purposes only or for use in restricted research settings. The FDA has stated that it is the responsibility of the individual physician to determine the FDA status of each drug or device that he/she wishes to use in clinical practice and to use the products in compliance with the applicable law.

Baylor College of Medicine requires that all contributors disclose an unlabeled use or investigational use (not yet approved for any purpose) of pharmaceutical and medical device products, and provide adequate scientific and clinical justification for such use. Physicians are urged to fully review all the available data on products or procedures before using them to treat patients.

Disclosure Policy

Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education (CME) for physicians. BCM is committed to sponsoring CME activities that are scientifically based, accurate, current, and objectively presented.

In  accordance  with  the  ACCME  Standards for  Commercial Support, BCM has  implemented a mechanism requiring everyone in a position to control the content of an educational activity (i.e., directors, planning committee members, faculty) to disclose any relevant financial relationships with commercial interests (drug/device companies) and manage/resolve any conflicts of interest prior to the activity.  Individuals must disclose to participants the existence or non-existence of financial relationships at the time of the activity or within 24 months prior.

In addition, BCM has requested activity faculty/presenters to disclose to participants any unlabeled use or investigational use of pharmaceutical/device products; to use scientific or generic names (not trade names) in referring to products; and, if necessary to use a trade name, to use the names of similar products or those within a class. Faculty/presenters have also been requested to adhere to the ACCME’s validation of clinical content statements.

BCM does not view the existence of financial relationships with commercial interests as implying bias or decreasing the value of a presentation. It is up to participants to determine whether the relationships influence the activity faculty with regard to exposition or conclusions.  If at any time during this activity you feel that there has been commercial/promotional bias, notify the Activity Director or Activity Coordinator.  Please answer the questions about balance and objectivity in the activity evaluation candidly.

All of the relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated.

The following individual(s) has/have reported no financial or other relationships with commercial entities whose products/services may relate to the educational content of this activity:

Michael Fordis, M.D., Activity Director, Planning Committee Member

Director, Center for Collaborative and Interactive Technologies

Senior Associate Dean for Continuing Professional Development

Director of the Institute for Continuing Professional Development in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety

Baylor College of Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose

 

Pat Herlihy, M.D., Presenter, Planning Committee Member

Associate Professor, Pediatrics

Professor of Medicine-Pulmonary

Baylor College of Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose

 

Abraham Mendoza, Planning Committee Member

IT Project Management Specialist

Baylor College of Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose

 

Andrea Rochat, Planning Committee Member

Owner and Consultant

Rochat Creative

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose

 

Baylor College of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Baylor College of Medicine designates this enduring material activity for a maximum of 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.   

Available Credit

  • 0.50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 0.50 Participation
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Required Hardware/software

Activities should be run with recent versions of common browsers, including Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Google Chrome.