The purpose of this one and one-half-day course is to provide TB program leaders, managers, and clinicians with the necessary knowledge and skills to lead TB cohort reviews in their program areas.  The course covers principles of the TB cohort review process, guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding this requirement in the cooperative agreement, impact of cohort reviews, and planning for implementation in local program areas.  The format includes lectures, observation of an actual cohort review, group discussions, individual and group exercises, use of computers to enter, analyze and report cohort data, and an outline for planning for adaptation and implementation.

This educational experience is designed for teams of TB controllers, program managers, physicians and nurses, and epidemiologists or data analysts.

The Cohort Review Process has long been a “best practice” used by outstanding TB control programs in the US and internationally.  Originally designed by Dr. Karel Styblo to systematically analyze treatment outcomes of every documented TB case in a program area, this useful management approach serves several purposes: staff motivation, quality improvement, training needs assessment, and program evaluation.  Cooperative agreements with CDC require that programs begin implementing cohort reviews in 2010.  This course will provide information and strategies for programs to do so.

Upon completion of this course participants will be able to:

• Describe the elements of the cohort review process in order to lead a case management team in all aspects of preparation, presentation, and follow-up
• Outline the roles key TB control staff play in a cohort review in order to successfully delegate responsibility and authority to team members to carry out essential tasks by making key observations and assessments
• Organize the details of a complex case into a brief oral presentation so that cohort review meetings will cover the essential information in a time-efficient manner
• Assess whether diagnoses, treatment regimens, monitoring, adherence, and completion of treatment, as well as contact investigations, have met program standards to make sure optimal patient outcomes are achieved
• Collect data from a cohort review session and calculate outcome statistics in order to measure progress toward achieving national, state and local objectives
• Identify reasons for program failures and discuss how this information can be used to improve patient outcomes and program performance by filling gaps in standards of care through tailored management, supervision, and training interventions
• Apply principles of continual quality improvement (CQI), as facilitated by the cohort review process, to the management of clinical services and contact investigations so that the spread of TB to the greater community may be prevented
• Apply CDC guidance regarding the TB cohort review process so that appropriate programmatic implementation will occur

• Enrollment is limited to 20 participants.
• Preference is given to management teams comprising a program manager, clinician, and data analyst or epidemiologist.
• Participants must currently work in TB control.
• Registration priority will be given to individuals within the Northeastern Region, including Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and West Virginia, and the cities of Baltimore, Detroit, New York City and Philadelphia.
• In order to meet the course objectives, individuals should attend the entire course, participate in individual and group exercises, complete the pre- and post-tests, complete the program evaluation form at the end of the course, and a post-course follow up evaluation within 6 months of the course.

11:00 am      Tour of Tuberculosis Clinic
12:30 pm      Registration; Lunch provided
  1:30 pm      Introduction; Pre-test; Course objectives
  2:00 pm      CDC instruction guide and video/DVD
  2:30 pm      TB control and cohort reviews in this program area
  3:00 pm      Break 
  3:15 pm      CDC guidance regarding the cohort review process
  3:45 pm      Preparing for cohort review and using standard
forms for concise case presentation
  4:15 pm      Impact of cohort reviews in other program areas
  4:45 pm      Guide and exercises for observing cohort review
5:00 pm      Adjourn
Evening       Free

  9:00 am      Review Pre-test results; Q & A
  9:30 am      Observe Cohort Review

• Perform four individual exercises
• Observe summary outcomes presentations

11:30 am      Questions and answers / Discuss experience/Analyze program strengths / weaknesses / solutions
12:00 pm      Lunch provided
  1:00 pm      Exercise: Making a concise case presentation
  1:45 pm      Exercise: Enter case information, analyze data, manipulate spreadsheet, generate reports
  3:15 pm      Break
  3:30 pm      Planning how to adapt/implement the cohort review method in your own program area
  4:15 pm      Post-test; Evaluation
  4:30 pm      Adjourn

The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – Center for Continuing and Outreach Education is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey–Center for Continuing and Outreach Education designates this educational activity for a maximum of 9.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Center for Continuing and Outreach Education is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by NJSNA, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. Provider Number P173-11/09-12. Provider Approval is valid through November 30, 2012.

This activity is awarded 9.5 contact hours. (60 minute CH)

UMDNJ-Center for Continuing and Outreach Education is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by NJSNA, an accredited approver, by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.  Provider Number P173-11/09-12.  Provider Approval is valid through November 30, 2012.

This activity is awarded 9.5 contact hours. (60 minute CH)

Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP 13780.

Please complete a course application, and return it to:

NJMS Global Tuberculosis Institute
PO Box 1709
225 Warren Street
Newark, NJ 07101-1709
Attention: Rajita Bhavaraju

Notification of acceptance and additional course information will be sent via email. Please be sure to provide a valid email address on the application form.

A $50.00 fee is required prior to the start of the workshop. Acceptable forms of payment are check or money order made payable to NJMS Global Tuberculosis Institute.  Participants will not be accepted into the course without payment.

UMDNJ reserves the right to modify the activity content, faculty and activities, and reserves the right to cancel this activity, if necessary.

Participants who are unable to attend may cancel up to 2 weeks prior to the course.

Kellogg Conference Hotel at Gallaudet University, 800 Florida Avenue N.E. Washington, DC www.kelloggconferencehotel.com

CALL: Additional hotel room block information will be provided in your acceptance letter.

Charles P. Felton National TB Center

Government of the District of Columbia, Department of Health, Bureau of TB Control

NJMS Global TB Institute, Newark, NJ

ACTIVITY DIRECTOR

• Nisha Ahamed, MPH
  Program Director, Education & Training

 Charles P. Felton National TB Center

• Jeannette Hinnant, PHA, CPM
  Supervisory Public Health Advisor
• Kim Seechuk, MPH
  Program Manager
• Amanuel Rosario, MD
  Medical Director / TB Controller
• Halima Sykes, MPH
  Prevention Specialist
• Theresa Waddy
  Data Coordinator
• Mary Sisk, RN, CIC
  Supervisory Nurse Coordinator