The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) and RMEI Medical Education are set to launch a new nationwide continuing medical education (CME) curriculum, titled “Clinical Convergence: Patient and Provider Perspectives in IBD,” in September.

CCFA, the nonprofit whose mission is to cure Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC), and RMEI, one of the longest operating medical education companies in the U.S., are currently preparing the initiative’s first edition for patients and providers on improved collaborative management and communication concerning inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). The program includes two part-time conferences for patients and clinicians, and an interactive online course.

“As the leading advocate for patients with IBD and the clinicians who care for them, CCFA is excited to share this innovative approach to education with our member community,” said Laura Wingate, CCFA’s vice president of patient and professional services, in a press release. “By bringing patients into the educational discourse with clinicians, our goal is to stimulate a more informed and collaborative approach to IBD management.“

Crohn’s disease and UC, known collectively as IBD, are estimated to affect one in every 200 people. They are painful diseases, with no known cure, that attack the digestive system – Crohn’s will attack anywhere along the digestive tract and UC may cause inflammation in the large intestine (colon). Symptoms often include abdominal pain, persistent diarrhea, rectal bleeding, fever, and weight loss. Many patients require several hospital visits or even surgery. Most patients develop the disease between the ages of 15 and 35.

AbbVie, Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., and UCB will support the project with independent educational grants. The first meetings will take place in Memphis, Tennessee, on Sept. 10, 2016; and Phoenix, Arizona, on Sept. 24. The interactive CME courses are designed to engage physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants throughout the morning, while keeping patients participating in a parallel track oriented to their specific needs. The groups will get together just before lunch for a structured discussion on best practices for care, and how well they translate into the actual patient experience.

“With the evolving definition of value in the healthcare delivery system, clinicians are being increasingly measured and reimbursed by health systems based on patient satisfaction scores and engagement metrics,” said RMEI’s senior vice president of medical strategy, Dr. Jacqui Brooks. “The Clinical Convergence series was built to empower the patient and, especially, the healthcare provider, to be more effective in the disease management and communication process.”