80054157 - Optimizing Vaccination in Immunosuppressed Patients with Autoimmune and Inflammatory Disease

Patients with autoimmune or inflammatory disease, such as rheumatologic diseases, multiple sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease, are at increased risk for serious infection. Potent immunosuppressive therapy, which largely comprises biologic agents, has become the mainstay of treatment for many autoimmune and inflammatory conditions but also plays a major role in raising infection risk. Many infections that may affect immunosuppressed patients are preventable. However, vaccination rates among immunosuppressed patients with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases are low. Primary care clinicians, such as physicians, PAs, nurse practitioners, and nurses, are well-positioned for providing preventive care, of which vaccination is an important component. Since primary care clinicians and specialists share responsibility for vaccinating immunosuppressed patients, care coordination is essential for ensuring that patients are appropriately vaccinated. Therefore, primary care clinicians need to be knowledgeable about evidence-based recommendations for vaccination in patients with autoimmune or inflammatory disease, particularly those treated with biologics and other immunosuppressive agents. To address this need, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (JHSOM) in collaboration with American Academy of PAs (AAPA) and in cooperation with Medical Logix LLC, have developed this proposed educational grant designed to increase appropriate vaccination for patients on immunosuppressive therapies. The online activity proposed in this grant leverages an existing educational platform which has been an important component of continuing medical education for JHU and our partners. This platform, called a Clinical Dialogue, is an engaging video-based format with synchronized slides that maximizes audience engagement and has a proven track record of generating positive outcomes. This content platform is designed to be concise and considerate of participants’ time constraints and will be certified by JHSOM for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ and by AAPA for 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credit. A comprehensive awareness plan has been developed to provide for exceptional reach of this online program to this broad targeted audience of caregivers. The program will be integrated into The Johns Hopkins Anti-infective Guide (ABX Guide), on AAPA’s Learning Management System, Learning Central, and on myCME. This activity will achieve Level 5 outcomes – Participant self-report of performance, as per the Moore scale, which will be determined by analysis of both pre- and post-activity assessment data collected from participants.

Click on weblink to CME activity: Vaccinations in Immunosuppressed Patients – JHU

1. Summarize guideline recommendations for vaccinating patients treated with biologics and immunosuppressive therapy.
2. Implement strategies to coordinate care between primary care providers and specialists to ensure appropriate vaccination of immunosuppressed patients.
3. Employ effective approaches to patient counseling and education to improve patient adherence to vaccination recommendations.