News briefs

New global medical education service focuses on coordinated care for the elderly

World CME, an initiative of publishers medi+WORLD International, is a repository of interactive medical education and training material covering a wide range of medical topics. It has been made available free to doctors in World Bank designated 'Low Income' countries and at little cost to 'Middle Income' countries.

Educational topics all include age-related case presentations with a particular focus on issues affecting the elderly who often have additional concerns of loneliness, isolation, multi drug therapy, compliance issues, self care issues and financial constraints.

There is a need therefore to always consider these additional issues when the elderly present with any common condition.

Hypertension and Diabetes are a particular management problem when found in the elderly who often have a range of concurrent symptoms or illnesses providing quite a challenge to the general practitioner or gerontologist. The website provides extensive case studies where management may require the coordinated care from a team of health professionals.

Other gerontology topics include Alzheimers where new therapeutics provide options for patients along with a range of integrative medicine approaches.

There is a range of case presentations and videos on Palliative Care, which educates on the WHO description of palliative care as 'the active total care of treating people whose disease cannot be cured'. Issues range from the psychological care of the dying to pain management in the terminally ill patient.

Other gerontology case presentations include Parkinson's disease and related movement disorders, depression in the elderly, with the 'oldest old men' suffering the highest prevalence, renal failure and renal dialysis and stroke.

World CME can be found at www.WorldCME.com

World CME website

World CME case of programs

World CME video library