Matrix Medical Communications Reaches 1,000-certificate Milestone for Bariatric Times Integrated Health Continuing Education Department

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WEST CHESTER, Pennsylvania, May 14, 2019 — Matrix Medical Communications, publisher of the peer-reviewed, monthly journal Bariatric Times (BT), announced today that more than 1,000 certificates of successful completion have been awarded to integrated health (IH) professionals through its widely read IH Continuing Education (CE) Department, which offers complimentary self-study CE activities to nurses and dietitians.

The Bariatric Times IH CE Department fills a commonly unmet need, not only for clinicians looking to obtain CE credits free of charge, but also for those required to complete CE activities specific to caring for the patient population with obesity to maintain specialized professional credentials. For instance, such distinct CE learning categories are required for certification maintenance by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery’s Certified Bariatric Nurse Program and the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s board certification in obesity and weight management.

“IH professionals are always looking for CE and coming up short, especially complimentary CE in the metabolic disease space.” said Tracy Martinez, RN, BSN, CBN, Editor of Bariatric Times IH CE Department. “Bariatric Times allows clinicians to sit down and take multiple post-tests for much needed contact hours or CPEUs—all in a weekend, all complimentary, all often from the comfort of their own homes.”

To date, the department has covered a range of topics related to caring for patients with obesity, such as surgical complications and dietary adherence following bariatric surgery, the role of the microbiome in obesity-related health, the connection between obesity and diabetes, and, more recently, recognizing and addressing weight bias among healthcare professionals. Nurses represent 65 percent of the program participants, while dietitians and nutritionists represent 35 percent.

According to participant feedback, the reach of these CE activities extends even beyond regular readership, with many clinicians in charge of staff education reporting they share the clinical information with colleagues, and some have designated the activities as mandatory education for all staff members.

Kasey LaPointe, RD, LD, the bariatric coordinator at Emory Johns Creek Hospital in Johns Creek, Georgia, oversees all teaching requirements needed to fulfill Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) accreditation standards and often uses Bariatric Times CE activities. Currently, she is highlighting the IH CE activity titled, “Weight Bias Among Healthcare Providers: We have Met the Enemy and it is Us,” for the surgical floor nursing staff.

“I read a lot of articles (published in Bariatric Times) because I find them very pertinent,” she said. “Research articles can be dense to sift through, but what BT publishes is interesting and valuable information we can apply in clinical practice.”

Because of high demand and increased participation, Bariatric Times now offers all CE testing through an enhanced online, fully automated educational platform that allows participants immediate access to their post-test results and, if earned, their certificate of successful completion. Feedback on the new system has been positive, and participants report that they are happy with both the ease of use and instant certification.

“We are delighted at the success of the IH CE Department and fortunate to have supporters, such as Medtronic and Bariatric Advantage, that allow us to provide educational information that is applicable to daily practice,” BT Managing Editor Angela Saba said. “It is our hope that, through our education department, all healthcare professionals might further enhance their knowledge of obesity and skills in working with this unique patient population.”

For a listing of current, active educational activities, please visit https://bariatrictimes.com/category/departments/integrated-health-continuing-education/.

For further information on the IH CE Department, including sponsorship opportunities, contact Robert Dougherty, President/Group Publisher ([email protected]), or Chris Moccia, Associate Director of Business Development ([email protected]).

Matrix Medical Communications Accreditation: Bariatric Times is an approved provider of continuing education by the California Board of Registered Nursing (Provider Number 14887) and the Commission on Dietetic Registration, the credentialing agency for Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, (Continuing Professional Education Accredited Provider Code E4B01A2).

About Bariatric Times

Bariatric Times (www.bariatrictimes.com) is a peer-reviewed, monthly journal published by Matrix Medical Communications in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Bariatric Times seeks to provide evidence-based, peer-reviewed information to practicing clinicians and researchers caring for patients with obesity and metabolic disorders in an easy-to-read, easy-to-apply format. Bariatric Times offers its readers original research, practical discussions on the latest research, comprehensive reviews, brief reports, didactic case reports, and commentaries on contemporary topics in the treatment of metabolic disorders. Bariatric Times is indexed on CINAHL® Plus with Full Text, Scopus, and EMBASE. For more information, visit www.bariatrictimes.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Angela M. Saba
866-325-9907
[email protected]

Austin K. Vitelli
866-325-9907
[email protected]

Tags: continuing education

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