Educational Resources • About Sisters Network® Inc. • Access Oncology CME/CE

BALTIMORE, MD—January 26, 2011—Med-IQ, an award-winning accredited provider of continuing medical education (CME), and Sisters Network® Inc., the only national African American breast cancer survivorship organization in the United States (US), are pleased to announce their 2011 collaboration to raise awareness in at-risk women about breast cancer prevention to reduce disparities of care in Baltimore.

The breast cancer mortality gap between African American and white women in the US has been steadily growing since the 1980s, an inequality that exists despite a higher incidence of breast cancer among white women. In Maryland, the breast cancer mortality rate for African American women is 33 per 100,000; this exceeds the rate observed for white women and all women state- and nationwide. This disparity is particularly evident in Baltimore, which has the second highest annual mortality rate for African American women in Maryland.

Women Empowered: A Community-Based Initiative to Improve Breast Health in African Americans is an outreach campaign that will employ live community canvassing and educational sessions to increase breast cancer awareness in at-risk women, their families, local organizations, healthcare professionals, and clinics; address fears that affect timely care and diagnosis; and encourage women to get regular mammograms. This initiative is supported by an educational grant from sanofi-aventis U.S.

“Sisters Network is committed to increasing local and national attention to the devastating impact that breast cancer has in the African American community. We are proud to partner with Med-IQ to help support and reinforce our live community canvassing and educational sessions in Baltimore,” said Dawn Fitzpatrick, President, Baltimore affiliate chapter, Sisters Network Inc.

This collaboration brings together a national organization with proven outreach expertise and advocacy in the African American community and a team of experts in educational program design and implementation.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to make a difference,” said William A. Mencia, MD, CCMEP, Vice President, Education & Medical Affairs, Med-IQ. “Improved patient health is our desired outcome, and we hope to build a scalable model that may be replicated in underserved areas around the country.”

Annual mammograms are the best way for women to lower their breast cancer mortality risk. In Maryland, only 64% of women older than 40 have received a mammogram in the past year; the rate drops to 40% among uninsured women. The reasons for lower mammography rates typically observed in the African American population include limited access to care, cultural barriers, and social inequalities. Often overlooked components related to lower mammography rates include fear of the healthcare system, fear of unnecessary surgery, potential abandonment by spouse or partner following a mastectomy, and fear of what to expect during screening and, when applicable, resulting diagnosis and treatment.

“Med-IQ has made reducing health care disparities a priority in our education strategy in the years ahead,” said Scott E. Weber, co-CEO of Med-IQ. “Collaborating with patient advocacy groups like Sisters Network will allow us to begin bringing together healthcare provider education and patient education to affect change.”

About Sisters Network® Inc.

Sisters Network® Inc. (SNI) is a leading voice and the only national African American breast cancer survivorship organization in the United States. The organization's purpose is to save lives through breast health awareness and provide a broader scope of knowledge that addresses the breast cancer survivorship crisis affecting African American women around the country. Currently, Sisters Network has affiliate chapters in 22 states nationwide. The national headquarters is located in Houston, Texas. As a nationally recognized organization among leading medical establishments and breast cancer physicians, Sisters Network is also recognized as a critical information resource for African American women. To learn more about Sisters Network® Inc, please visit: www.sistersnetworkinc.org.

About Med-IQ

Med-IQ, recipient of the Alliance for CME’s 2011 William Campbell Felch Award for Research in CME, is an accredited provider of education that inspires healthcare professionals through activities 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. We are a leader in the development of performance improvement (PI) and quality improvement (QI) CME initiatives. To learn more about Med-IQ, visit www.Med-IQ.com, follow us on Twitter, connect with us on LinkedIn, and become a fan on Facebook.

For more information, contact:

Catherine B. Mullaney, MHA
Vice President, Educational Partnerships
Med-IQ
443 543 5101
info@med-iq.com

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