Funding
Clinical Encounters: Obesity was developed by Clinical Tools, Inc (CTI) with funding from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) (Grant #2R44DK091144-01A1 and #5R44DK108608-04). We gratefully acknowledge this support, which was the sole funding source for this project’s development.
No Industry Support
All materials on this website were developed in an industry-fund-free environment. No industry funding was used to create this website or these educational activities.
Purpose
Approximately 42.4% of American adults are considered obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 30), and nearly 1/3 are overweight (BMI 25 to 29.9)1. Obesity increases the risk of a number of chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain forms of cancer and is associated with disability and premature death2.
The dire implications of the adult obesity epidemic grow worse over time. Despite front-page coverage and universal agreement that the epidemic in weight gain and secondary disease establishment must be addressed, the problem continues.
Development
Clinical Encounters: Obesity impacts patients with overweight and obesity via deliberate practice-based training of providers and improved communication between patients and providers.
Continuing Education Mission Statement
Clinical Tools, Inc. combines medicine, science, and technology to provide state-of-the-art online and training and education to improve patient care.
We strive to enhance the knowledge, skills, and practice of health care providers and trainees so they can improve patient health. Our standard incorporates the most up-to-date research and expert opinion. The company identifies content areas that are under-represented in current CME curricula, are skills-oriented and would benefit from internet delivery – including innovative uses of emerging technology.
Activity content is determined by analysis of gaps in performance, knowledge and competence, and patient outcomes, including national guidelines, best practices reports, user surveys, literature review, and consultations with experts. Our focus is on creating clinical skills-based training activities and evaluating each activity using metrics that relate to the targeted skills. Successful activities will improve competence, performance, skills, use of best practices, and patient outcomes. The impact is evaluated using both qualitative and quantitative methods to assure quality and to measure competence, skills, and behaviors essential to providing quality patient care and improving outcomes.
Clinical Tools does not participate in the delivery of complete and finalized training experiences. Nor do we participate when decisions have already been made regarding the practice gaps, content, delivery, authorship, or the assessment of the intervention. We only provide Category I CME (TM) for an activity when we are closely involved in meeting all of the ACCME requirements, including the collection, storage, and analysis of data on the impact of the activity on competence, performance, or patient outcomes.
Impact
Clinical Encounters: Obesity is designed to improve provider competence and performance, as well as patient outcomes. All training is tied to Obesity Medicine Education Collaborative competencies. The site provides skills training for primary care providers on the topic of overweight and obesity prevention and treatment. The activities use cases to simulate real-life patient encounter scenarios.
Accreditation
Clinical Tools, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Clinical Tools, Inc. is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEPTM) and may offer NBCC-approved clock hours for events that meet NBCC requirements. The ACEP solely is responsible for all aspects of the activity.
Dissemination
Clinical Tools, and its gaming division Health Impact Studio, strives to share knowledge gained through the testing and use of its products. You can see our latest conference presentations, as well as our published research articles, at the Health Impact Studio site.
Future Plans
We will continue expanding our Clinical Encounters: Obesity curriculum to include further topics regarding the increase in overweight and obesity in the population. We envision that our bundled activities will be sold as a training tool for medical provider groups / offices in order to provide consistent and up-to-date education on this topic. This source of revenue will support any ongoing work needed to refine the product and allow consistent group training for these providers.
Acknowledgments
The site has been put through multiple rounds of iterative usability testing with medical professionals and has been improved according to feedback. Past reviewers included Verlyn Warrington, MD and Vivienne Rose, MD. Thank you to everyone who was involved as we developed the materials for this site.
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References
1. Hales CM, Fryar CD, Ogden CL. Prevalence of Obesity and Severe Obesity Among Adults: United States, 2017–2018. CDC – NCHS – Publications and Information Products – Data Briefs – Number 360. February 2020.
2. CDC. Adult Obesity Causes & Consequences | Overweight & Obesity | CDC. February 4, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult/causes.html
