DETROIT, Oct. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are ensuring their own staff physicians are kept abreast of the best recommendations to screen patients for possible signs of domestic abuse.
On Oct. 12, the Michigan Blues will bring their award-winning domestic violence education program to Blues staff physicians in the form of a Continuing Medical Education* session titled “Domestic Violence - A Health Care Issue.”
The program, which focuses on domestic abuse screening as part of routine patient care, was first presented as a pilot program in 2002 to medical residents at Wayne State University’s School of Medicine. It covers social, medical and legal issues of domestic abuse, and includes presentations by physicians, domestic violence agency staff, county prosecutors and abuse victims.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network coordinate the program, underwrite the speaker fees and provide attendees with free toolkits to help them screen for and assist domestic violence victims. The pilot program received a national “Best of Blue” award for outstanding physician education and communication from the Chicago-based Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
The Oct. 12 session is modeled after the pilot program and will include:
* Introduction: David Share, M.D., MPH, clinical director of the Center for Health Care Quality and Evaluative Studies at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
* The Nature and Dynamics of Domestic Violence: Mary Jane Hood, MSW, CSW, ACSW, associate director of First Step domestic violence agency
* Reporting Requirements and Other Legal Issues: Emily Wolfe, JD, assistant prosecuting attorney, Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office
* Physician’s Response to Domestic Violence: Henry W. Maicki, M.D., FACOG, obstetrician/gynecologist in private practice
* Case study: A survivor of domestic violence tells her story and answers questions
* Q & A: All attendees
“Too few physicians routinely screen patients for possible abuse and domestic violence,” says David Share, M.D. and clinical director of the Center for Health Care Quality and Evaluative Studies at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. “We have an opportunity to make a positive impact upon the medical community with this educational program -- to help physicians effectively communicate with patients in a sensitive and sympathetic manner and to refer them to counseling services when problems are identified.”
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit corporation, provides health care benefits to nearly 4.8 million members through a variety of plans: Traditional, Blue Preferred and Community Blue PPOs, Blue Choice Point of Service, and the Blue Care Network HMO. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information, visit http://www.bcbsm.com/ .
* Continuing Medical Education (CME) programs provide credit from an accredited agency that physicians can use to meet mandatory re-licensure requirements. Physicians must have 150 hours of CME credit every three years to be eligible for their license renewal. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Office of Continuing Medical Education is accredited by the Michigan State Medical Society Committee on CME Accreditation to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The BCBSM Office of Continuing Medical Education designates this educational activity for a maximum of three (3.0) hours in Category I Credit towards the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the educational activity. AOA 2-A Credit sponsored by Pontiac Osteopathic Hospital. BCBSM is an AGD approved sponsor of continuing dental education, AGD sponsor 217416.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
CONTACT: Cheryl McDonald of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan,+1-313-225-8121, mediarelations@bcbsm.com
Web site: http://www.bcbsm.com/