BALTIMORE, Md.—February 19, 2009—More than 500 cardiologists and emergency medicine physicians have registered to participate in the complimentary, certified continuing medical education (CME) series, Performance Improvement Strategies in Acute Coronary Syndromes. This initiative has been designed in accordance with the American Medical Association (AMA)-approved three-stage learning model, and is focused on enhancing ACS patient care.

Research into improving the care of ACS patients is ongoing. The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) recommend that cardiologists and emergency medicine physicians follow an ongoing program of outcomes analysis and periodic case reviews to identify process strategies that will reduce the time to deliver appropriate treatments. Nationally renowned physicians Christopher P. Cannon, MD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, James W. Hoekstra, MD, of Wake Forest University Health Sciences, and David M. Larson, MD, of Ridgeview Medical Center are faculty advisors to Med-IQ for this important initiative.

"Busy physicians who treat patients with ACS need convenient access to evidence-based medical education," said William A. Mencia, MD, Vice President of Education & Medical Affairs for Med-IQ. "We are working with some of the top ACS experts in the country in developing this performance improvement series to help specialists more effectively treat and improve the care of ACS patients."

In this certified performance improvement CME series, physicians can earn up to 20 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ while learning to implement ACC/AHA guideline-approved processes of care for ACS patients. This CME series emphasizes three benchmark areas (risk assessment, initial pharmacologic management, and time-to-treatment) and is divided into three clear stages of self-directed learning:

• Stage A allows physicians to self-assess by comparing their current practice in treating ACS to national performance guidelines in the areas of risk assessment, initial pharmacologic management, and time-to-treatment
• Stage B leads physicians to follow their own plan for sustained improvement in patient care designed to meet ACC/AHA guideline-approved processes
• Stage C enables physicians to reevaluate their ACS patient processes against past performance and guidelines and summarize the resulting changes

Educational resources available through this performance improvement initiative include three live Community of Practice audioconferences with renowned faculty, three certified CME articles featuring links to video footage of leading experts discussing strategies to overcome barriers in ACS care, and a secure Web site for online participation (www.ACSPI-IQ.com).

Performance improvement CME was developed in 2005 by two AMA-convened national task forces. It was introduced as a nationally standardized, three-stage CME format to help physicians evaluate their clinical practice methods and quality of care and compare their performance with other specialists and national standards.

About Med-IQ

Med-IQ, America’s most respected continuing medical education (CME) company, is an accredited provider of CME that educates and inspires healthcare professionals through programs that deliver sophisticated outcomes-based educational designs with measurable results in professional competence and performance. Med-IQ is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the California Board of Registered Nursing (CBRN), and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing medical education to physicians, nurses, and pharmacists, respectively. To learn more about us, visit
www.Med-IQ.com.

For more information, contact:

Catherine B. Mullaney, MHA
Vice President, Audience Development
and Educational Outcomes
443 543 5154
info@med-iq.com