Practicing Clinicians Exchange Forms Partnership with CDC

STAMFORD, Conn., Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ — Practicing Clinicians Exchange (PCE) has formed a partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide immunization continuing education programs to nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) throughout the United States. In recognition of these vital healthcare providers’ expanding role in primary healthcare, the CDC will be providing Immunization Updates throughout the year as part of the PCE national symposia series.

The immunization landscape is quickly evolving and changing, making it difficult for clinicians to keep abreast of the latest recommendations. Results of a 2008 PCE survey confirmed that most NPs and PAs need education on new vaccinations and updates from the CDC. The partnership of the CDC, the world leader in immunization information and education, and PCE, the national leader in continuing education dedicated to the needs of NPs and PAs, enhances the delivery of important healthcare information to NPs and PAs.

With the U.S. population aging and fewer physicians practicing primary care, the country is facing a healthcare emergency of too many patients and too few doctors. NPs and PAs are an important part of the solution to this crisis as they can fill the role of the primary care clinician. This has led to a primary care tipping point, with NPs and PAs collectively numbering over 200,000, and increasing by more than 14,000 every year.

William L. Atkinson, MD, MPH, from the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC, sees NPs and PAs as the first line of defense against vaccine-preventable diseases. “NPs and PAs play a greater role in primary care than ever. This makes them the front line of defense against vaccine-preventable diseases. In the rapidly changing field of immunization, these clinicians should be the focus of education to ensure the health and safety of the nation,” said Dr Atkinson.

“Collaboration with the CDC is further recognition of PCE’s stature as a national leader in education tailored to NPs and PAs, and its ability to provide high-quality education to these clinicians,” said Lawrence M. Herman, MPA, RPA-C, a physician assistant in Hauppauge, NY, and a frequent moderator of PCE symposia.

“The CDC is an ideal partner for this educational initiative,” said Bradley Mock of PCE. “As the worldwide leader in immunization information and education, the CDC is a perfect source for the educational material required by our eager and growing audience of NPs and PAs. We are very excited about this partnership and the positive impact it will have on healthcare outcomes.”

About Practicing Clinicians Exchange (PCE) www.practicingclinicians.com: Since 2006, PCE has been the national leader in providing continuing education tailored exclusively to the unique educational needs of NPs and PAs. PCE conducts an 18-city national symposia series reaching more than 5,000 clinicians, and extends its educational reach using a variety of formats, including regional and local symposia; dinner meetings; satellite symposia; monographs and supplements; CD-ROMs; and Internet-based programs, such as Web conferences and e-courses, via its large database of NPs and PAs. Visit www.practicingclinicians.com for more information. PCE is a division of Continuing Education Alliance.

    Contact: Eric VanStone
    203.983.5700 x 149
    evanstone@cealliance.org
    www.cealliance.org
    www.practicingclinicians.com

    Continuing Education Alliance
    One Dock Street, Suite 510
    Stamford, CT 06902 USA
    Phone: 203.983.5700
    Fax: 203.487.0406

SOURCE Practicing Clinicians Exchange