MedicoMindsPro

An interesting topic for a CME slide deck in a chronic disease therapy area could be ‘A critical evaluation of the international guidelines’.

One needs to be careful not to contradict the guidelines and yet convey the message subtly based on available data, in the local context so that clinicians stop to think of the other options too before prescribing the ‘first-line’ recommendation by the guidelines.

To make the CME engaging, it should always tell a story. Here is a suggested story flow for a CME on critical evaluation of international guidelines.

1️⃣ Goals of treatment for the disease- what are we aiming to achieve with treatment?

2️⃣ Factors to be considered in selecting the treatment to achieve the goals

3️⃣ How important is each factor in the overall context of the goals

4️⃣ The next section can highlight the guideline statements that are intended to be evaluated critically in the CME- Just a single slide here is good enough. We do not want to focus on the entire guideline(s)

In the next section, present clinical evidence that is robust enough to generate a discussion. For example:

5️⃣ Do the guideline recommendations address all the important factors that are related to the treatment goal?

6️⃣ Then pick up each of the important factors and present evidence supporting as well as contradicting the guidelines. Also present data on therapies discouraged by guidelines as first-line treatment

No CME can be successful if it does not drive the practical implementation of the data shared. The final section should be all about real-world implementation

7️⃣ Create different patient profiles based on the presence or absence of the important factors listed in point 2️⃣ above (the rationale being that not all patients have all factors present to a similar extent)

8️⃣ End the deck with a decision tree listing the patient profiles and what options should be considered for each (based on the evidence provided). This should also include patient profiles for which the guideline recommendations might be the best, and profiles for which other options ought to be considered in the treatment decision

Gather the feedback from attendees, and you will find a delighted audience!