SessionSelect provides 24-hour flexibility to view online more than 250 recorded educational presentations from the ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meetings, lectures from some of the professional meetings series (such as the 2009 State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium), and topics of interest, like Ethical Issues in Research and Conflict of Interest. If you attend the live meeting, access to recorded content via SessionSelect is free. If you did not attend, you can still purchase access to the content at a time that is convenient for your schedule. Since SessionSelect’s launch in 2008, site visitors have viewed over 8,000 sessions. A note to my colleagues in Texas: the 2009 Ethics Webcast offers 3 hours of CME credit to help us meet our state medical board requirements.
I understand that viewing a session online lacks the personal interaction that drives so many of us to attend the annual meeting and other live CME activities. It is therefore worth mentioning that several members have reported incorporating SessionSelect into their journal clubs, grand rounds, and fellows-in-training programs. This feedback indicates that viewing the session together and following up with a discussion of the treatment implications in a group setting can improve understanding and retention.
The Rheumatology Image Bank, which includes the former ARHP Slide Collection, was recently launched and is quickly gaining favor and momentum. It includes over 1,500 images, and is the most comprehensive online collection of rheumatology-related images available. Members may download images for personal study or use in an educational presentation free of charge. If you have an image we should consider including in the image bank, watch for announcements regarding the slide competition. The ACR staff has alerted me to some of the planned changes, and you will want to get involved.
The RCR, also released in 2009, is a point-of-care clinical data-management tool, which uses evidence-based quality measures and is aimed at improving care and drug safety for patients with RA, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and gout. To facilitate data collection and maximize the RCR’s usefulness, users can access optional patient history forms within the RCR. Some information can also be pulled directly from your billing system into the RCR to minimize data entry. As the RCR expands, so will the advantages it provides.
As a member, many of these resources are free or available at significant discounts, so I encourage you to visit www.rheumatology.org for more information.
New Projects in the Pipeline
This year, the ACR plans to digitally adapt and expand upon print journal content and is working to improve the online tools to help us navigate the annual meeting, including an itinerary planner and search capabilities for the syllabi and abstracts. Planning committees will also be exploring the feasibility of offering a virtual annual meeting, e-posters, an online nursing course, and online certifications for rheumatology nurses and health educators.