PRESS RELEASES

ACCESS Oncology Delivers Meaningful Improvements in Competency Among Community-Based Oncology Clinicians Through Prostate Cancer Project ECHO® CME/CE Initiative

TRUMBULL, CT, June 26, 2026 – ACCESS Oncology, a division of Talem Health, is pleased to announce that its Prostate Cancer Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO®) CME/CE initiative achieved notable improvements in clinician knowledge and practice behaviors. This targeted education is essential to help clinicians make informed care decisions and ensure equitable delivery of care. Relevant program outcomes were shared at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting and the 2026 Rural Oncology Conference (ROC).

Key Takeaways

The Prostate Cancer Project ECHO® initiative resulted in statistically significant improvements across all knowledge and competence outcomes. The longitudinal educational design yielded competency improvements in:

• Genomic/germline testing (41% gain)
• Non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer guideline alignment (46% gain)
• Combination therapy in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (38% gain)
• Non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treatment personalization (41% gain)
• Shared decision-making (40% gain)

Of the participants, 42% reported an intent to make changes to their practice behavior such as treatment sequencing, while more than 50% shared plans to adopt changes in testing practices, evidence integration, and patient engagement.

“The intersection of quantitative and qualitative outcomes clearly demonstrates the profound impact of our Prostate Cancer Project ECHO® initiative—particularly in community settings where the need to expand clinician capacity is highest,” noted Tariqa Ackbarali, PhD, MS, CHCP, President of Talem Health. “By translating complex evidence into locally feasible care pathways, this initiative not only supported equitable care but also offers a scalable model for future oncology education.”

Program Overview

Although 15% to 19% of the US population resides in rural areas, fewer than 10% of oncologists practice in these communities. Those who do face numerous challenges, including scarce access to subspecialists, gaps in multidisciplinary care, and delays in biomarker testing.

To help address care disparities, ACCESS Oncology developed a CME/CE-accredited program for treating prostate cancer. Featuring a 1-hour virtual session at Oncology Congress Spring 2025, a 7-session longitudinal telementoring series, and a 1-hour online activity sharing lessons learned, the program explored topics such as combination therapies, treatment sequencing, and shared decision-making.

Of the 789 clinicians who participated in the educational program, 91% were oncologists, 93% worked in community settings, and 90% served patients in rural or otherwise underserved areas. During the sessions, clinicians had an opportunity to learn how to apply new evidence across multiple patient cases through discussions and problem-solving exercises. As a result, participants reported greater confidence in managing complex cases.

“I care for a pretty high-risk prostate cancer population, both in terms of what their disease pathology looks like and also in their socioeconomic status,” said a community radiation oncologist from upstate New York who attended the program. “Care becomes more challenging when the disease is more advanced or patients live very far, and it's tough for them to follow through on appointments.”

“I also don't always have access to all the specialists my patients need. What I learned from this session helped expand the scope of how I can help manage the condition overall," he added.

About ACCESS Oncology

ACCESS Oncology is a division of Talem Health dedicated to developing and delivering high-quality, solutions-based continuing medical education tailored to the realities of community oncology practice across geographically diverse settings. Grounded in the non-academic care environment in which more than 80% of patients with cancer receive treatment, ACCESS Oncology focuses on educational initiatives that are directly applicable to real-world community practice. Programs are intentionally designed to address the practical challenges faced by community-based clinicians, support the integration of emerging evidence into routine care, and promote shared solutions that strengthen care delivery for patients served in both urban and rural communities.

Contact

For questions or to request additional information, please contact Tariqa Ackbarali, PhD, MS, CHCP, President of Talem Health, at tackbarali@talemhealth.com.

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RME Collaborative Partners With Southeast AIDS Education & Training Center to Host Two-Part CME/CE Webinar Series on HIV PrEP in Rural and Underserved Areas

TRUMBULL, CT, April 5, 2021 — RME Collaborative, an educational division of Talem Health, is excited to announce a new partnership with the Southeast AIDS Education and Training Center (SE AETC). Their shared goal is to deliver high-quality medical education to clinicians in rural and underserved areas of the Southeast in order to increase their capacity to adapt and implement evidence-based HIV prevention interventions. The rural South faces the highest rates of HIV infection, illness, and deaths in the country. In addition, a variety of pervasive barriers in the region—including lack of transportation, HIV-related stigma, distance to care, clinician shortages, and limited resources or medical services—can complicate HIV prevention efforts. These challenges make it critically important for healthcare professionals who serve these areas to be trained on HIV prevention, including oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). However, despite its proven efficacy in reducing HIV transmission, only 18% of the 1.2 million Americans eligible for PrEP receive it. To address these issues, RME Collaborative and the SE AETC will host a free two-part CME/CE webinar series entitled Preparing Primary Care Clinicians for PrEP: Addressing HIV Care Gaps in Rural and Underserved Communities in the Southeast. The webinars, scheduled for April 23, 2021 and April 30, 2021, will focus on culturally appropriate risk assessment; HIV prevention methods, including PrEP; and strategies to overcome barriers in rural and underserved communities in the Southeast. During the live Q&A segment, participants will have the opportunity to ask questions to faculty in real time. “We are very proud to join forces with the SE AETC to host this two-part webinar series on HIV prevention in the Southeast,” said Erica Rusie, Vice President of RME Collaborative. “We see tremendous value in the work the SE AETC does, and we look forward to working together to help expand the provision of HIV prevention and improve access to care in rural and underserved communities with the highest needs.” “Primary care clinicians in rural and underserved settings play a key role in identifying individuals at risk of acquiring HIV and ensuring access to important HIV prevention interventions like PrEP. In this webinar series, we will discuss these topics and ways to address the challenges that uniquely affect rural and underserved communities,” said Paul Sax, MD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, who will serve as the Activity Chair. About RME Collaborative RME Collaborative aims to support the professional and educational needs of clinicians caring for patients from rural and underserved settings by providing high-quality, evidence-based continuing medical education. Through strategic partnerships and planning, RME Collaborative devises educational programs that are tailored to the specific challenges of care in rural and underserved communities. About Southeast AIDS Education & Training Center (SE AETC) The Southeast AIDS Education and Training Center (SE AETC) is an eight-state consortium that includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. It offers comprehensive, collaborative educational opportunities designed to increase the size and strength of the HIV workforce. It is one of eight training centers founded by the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) to provide training and facilitate dissemination of rapidly changing information about HIV/AIDS for service providers. Read More

RME Collaborative and the Endocrine Society Announce Partnership to Address Cardiometabolic Health Disparities in Rural and Underserved Communities

TRUMBULL, CT, February 12, 2021 — RME Collaborative and the Endocrine Society announced that they have entered a partnership to address the unique cardiometabolic health and education needs in rural and underserved communities. Cardiometabolic diseases are a group of interrelated conditions that include cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, and hypertension, as well as metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. In the United States (US), the burden of cardiometabolic disease is particularly alarming. In fact, one of every two American adults is living with one or more cardiometabolic diseases. Together, coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and diabetes affect more than 120 million adults and are among the leading causes of death in the country. At the same time, rates of diabetes and obesity are on the rise (10% and 38% of adults, respectively). In rural areas, the prevalence of these diseases is even higher, and effective management is often complicated by factors such as limited access to care and preventive services, geographic isolation, transportation difficulties, and shortages of primary care clinicians and specialist physicians. As the burden of cardiometabolic disease continues to increase in the US, there is growing concern that the workforce supply of specialists (endocrinologists and cardiologists) is inadequate to meet the demands. Although 20% of the total population resides in rural areas, only 9% of all physicians practice there. Rural areas continue to have a disproportionately smaller number of physicians and, within rural areas, distribution is inconsistent. As a result, rural patients have fewer visits to specialists and tend to rely more on primary care for management.   RME Collaborative and the Endocrine Society recognize the myriad of challenges and are therefore joining forces to address the unique needs in rural and underserved communities. This partnership has two distinct goals:

• Expand primary care capacity to treat and manage patients with cardiometabolic disease
• Create awareness and education for specialists about the unique needs and ways to provide support and mentorship to clinicians who serve patients in rural and underserved communities

About RME Collaborative RME Collaborative aims to support the professional and educational needs of clinicians caring for patients from rural and underserved settings by providing high-quality, evidence-based continuing medical education. Through strategic partnerships and planning, RME Collaborative devises educational programs that are tailored to the specific challenges of care in rural and underserved communities. About the Endocrine Society The Endocrine Society is a global community of 18,000 physicians and scientists who are dedicated to accelerating scientific breakthroughs and improving patient health and well-being. Their goals are to advance hormone research, achieve excellence in the clinical practice of endocrinology, broaden understanding of the critical role hormones play in health, and advocate on behalf of the global endocrinology community. Read More

RME Collaborative to Host Virtual Live 2nd Annual Rural Health Clinical Congress in November

TRUMBULL, CT, August 14, 2020 — RME Collaborative announced today that they will host the 2nd Annual Rural Health Clinical Congress, a virtual live CME/CE conference, on Saturday, November 21, 2020, in conjunction with National Rural Health Day. Healthcare professionals who serve patients in rural and underserved areas are invited to participate in this complimentary event that will be tailored to meet their unique educational needs. The 2nd Annual Rural Health Clinical Congress, which will be broadcast live starting at 8:00 AM CT, will be hosted on an interactive virtual platform that can be accessed on desktop, laptop, or mobile devices. Sessions will focus on a variety of clinical, practice management, and patient-centric topics relevant to primary care. Participants across the United States will have the opportunity to engage with expert faculty and respond to poll questions in real time.  As a Rural Champion partner of the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health, RME Collaborative supports the “Power of Rural” movement and scheduled this year’s Rural Health Clinical Congress on the Saturday following National Rural Health Day. National Rural Health Day is held on the third Thursday of each November and is celebrated nationwide by the 50 State Offices of Rural Health and other rural stakeholders. Returning as moderator is rural health expert Barbara Yawn, MD, MSc, MPH. Dr. Yawn, who brings 15 years of experience as a rural family medicine physician, will ensure that the content and discussions presented as part of the virtual conference are relevant and tailored to the specific challenges facing rural and underserved areas. “Clinicians in rural and underserved communities are busy and have limited time to stay up-to-date with rapidly evolving information,” said Dr. Yawn. “This virtual event is designed to provide the latest updates on a variety of relevant topics, all in the context of COVID-19,” said Dr. Yawn. “Building on the success of last year, we are thrilled to announce the return of our virtual live Rural Health Clinical Congress this November,” said Erica Rusie, PharmD, Scientific Director of RME Collaborative. “The convenient virtual format, which allows clinicians to receive the latest updates without needing to travel, will be especially important this year given the current COVID-19 pandemic.” The Rural Health Clinical Congress will be jointly provided by the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM) and will offer free continuing education credit to participants.   About RME Collaborative Talem Health developed Rural Medical Education (RME) Collaborative to focus on rural care and needs. RME Collaborative aims to support the professional and educational needs of rural healthcare professionals by providing high-quality, evidence-based continuing medical education. Through strategic partnerships and planning, RME Collaborative devises educational programs that are tailored to the specific challenges of care in rural areas. Contact: Lauren Wills, lwills@talemhealth.com About National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health & National Rural Health Day Each year, the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health and its partners set aside the third Thursday of November to celebrate National Rural Health Day. National Rural Health Day is an opportunity to “Celebrate the Power of Rural.” The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health is the membership association of the nation’s 50 State Offices of Rural Health. State Offices of Rural Health are anchors of information and support for rural communities, health professionals, hospitals, and clinics across the nation. They are dedicated to collaboration, education, communication, and innovation to improve health in small towns around the country. Contacts: Ashley Muninger, ashleym@nosorh.org or Michelle Rathman, michelle@doitwithimpact.com About Postgraduate Institute for Medicine The Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM) has been providing trusted independent continuing education for healthcare professionals since 1979 and is a recognized leader for jointly provided continuing education activities. PIM is nationally accredited to certify education and issue continuing education credit to an interprofessional or multidisciplinary audience of learners, including physicians, physician assistants, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, psychologists, dentists, optometrists, healthcare executives, addiction counselors, and clinical laboratory professionals. The purpose of the PIM continuing healthcare education program is to deliver effective CME/CE activities that are designed to contribute to the professional development of physicians, as well as other healthcare professionals, support the development and function of collaborative interprofessional teams, and positively impact the delivery of healthcare. Read More

RME Collaborative Partners With COPD Foundation on NHLBI Initiative

TRUMBULL, CT, July 31, 2020 — RME Collaborative is excited to announce a new partnership with the COPD Foundation on an educational initiative supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The goal of the initiative, funded through the NHLBI’s Learn More Breathe Better℠ Community Subcontract Program, is to support rural patients and clinicians with the use of the COPD Foundation’s mobile app. In rural and underserved areas of the United States in particular, access to COPD care and resources is often limited. Through this project—entitled CIRCLES (Clinicians Improving the Rural COPD Landscape through Education in Self-care goals)—the COPD Foundation and RME Collaborative will help support the needs of these underserved communities by working closely with two rural healthcare systems – a federally qualified health center in northern New Mexico and a certified rural health clinic in southeastern Colorado. The goal of the project is to empower patients to improve their COPD self-management and communication with their healthcare teams by using the COPD Pocket Consultant Guide mobile app and other available tools. The app, which has tracks for both patients and clinicians, includes helpful resources such as inhaler instruction videos, a personalized COPD action plan, and more. “Rural and underserved areas face numerous barriers to effective COPD care, and when patients do visit the clinic, time together is often limited,” said Barbara P. Yawn, MD, MSc, MPH, Chief Science Officer at COPD Foundation. “Through this partnership with RME Collaborative, we will equip patients and busy healthcare professionals with the tools they need to improve COPD self-management and outcomes.” “The patient perspective is incredibly important when it comes to COPD management,” said Erica Rusie, PharmD, Scientific Director at RME Collaborative. “Our goal is to empower COPD patients to take control of their health by increasing their experience with valuable self-management tools.” About RME Collaborative RME Collaborative aims to support the professional and educational needs of clinicians caring for patients from rural and underserved settings by providing high-quality, evidence-based continuing medical education. Through strategic partnerships and planning, RME Collaborative devises educational programs that are tailored to the specific challenges of care in rural and underserved communities. About COPD Foundation The COPD Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that was established to speed innovations to make treatment more effective and affordable and to undertake initiatives to expand services for COPD patients. Through partnerships centered around scientific research, education, and awareness, it aims to improve the lives of patients with COPD and related disorders to prevent and stop the progression of COPD. Read More

RME Collaborative Launches Online, On-Demand CME/CE Activity to Update Clinicians on COVID-19

TRUMBULL, CT, April 13, 2020 — RME Collaborative announced today that they have launched a complimentary online CME/CE activity on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) to help primary care clinicians stay up-to-date about the most current information and guidance. The 30-minute activity, entitled “COVID-19: What Clinicians Serving Patients in Rural and Underserved Communities Need to Know,” is available on the Talem Health website in a concise and convenient audio format. Healthcare professionals can access this on-demand recording and listen at any time. In this audio interview recorded on April 7, 2020, Dr. Barbara Yawn, an experienced rural family medicine physician, talks to Dr. Paul Sax, Clinical Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, about what we know and don’t know about epidemiology, transmission, and treatment of COVID-19. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is our responsibility to provide timely, evidence-based information to healthcare professionals,” said Erica Rusie, PharmD, Scientific Director of Talem Health. “The goal of this course is to provide clinicians with answers to commonly asked questions so they can better serve their patients during this crisis.” “COVID-19 causes a very wide spectrum of illness from no symptoms at all to a mild respiratory infection to severe disease that is lethal and causes hospitalizations and deaths,” said Dr. Yawn. “This makes it particularly difficult for primary care clinicians to recognize. Since no community immunity yet exists, it is critically important that clinicians learn best practices to detect the virus and prevent transmission.” To ensure that clinicians have continued access to valuable information, participants of the activity will receive a follow-up email with a curated list of links to helpful COVID-19 resources. The activity, which is jointly provided by the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine, has been certified for 0.5 complimentary continuing education credit.   About RME Collaborative Talem Health developed Rural Medical Education (RME) Collaborative to focus on rural care and needs. RME Collaborative aims to support the professional and educational needs of rural healthcare professionals by providing high-quality, evidence-based continuing medical education. Through strategic partnerships and planning, RME Collaborative devises educational programs that are tailored to the specific challenges of care in rural areas. About Postgraduate Institute for Medicine The Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM) has been providing trusted independent continuing education for healthcare professionals since 1979 and is a recognized leader for jointly provided continuing education activities. PIM is nationally accredited to certify education and issue continuing education credit to an interprofessional or multidisciplinary audience of learners, including physicians, physician assistants, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, psychologists, dentists, optometrists, healthcare executives, addiction counselors, and clinical laboratory professionals. The purpose of the PIM continuing healthcare education program is to deliver effective CME/CE activities that are designed to contribute to the professional development of physicians, as well as other healthcare professionals, support the development and function of collaborative interprofessional teams, and positively impact the delivery of healthcare. Read More

Inaugural Rural Health Clinical Congress Scheduled in Conjunction with National Rural Health Day 2019

TRUMBULL, CT, September 20, 2019 — Although 20% of the US population, an estimated 57 million people, lives in rural areas, only 9% of physicians practice there. As a result of ongoing provider shortages, rural America represents one of the largest physician-underserved populations in the country. Primary care providers face unique challenges, as patients from rural areas often have more complex needs and advanced illnesses. They also have limited opportunities for continuing education, requiring them to travel and incur expenses. To improve access to high-quality, tailored complimentary continuing education exclusively for primary care health professionals practicing in rural and underserved populations, Rural Medical Education (RME) Collaborative, a division of Talem Health, announces its inaugural Rural Health Clinical Congress (RHCC). RHCC 2019 is set to launch in conjunction with the annual National Rural Health Day (NRHD). NRHD is celebrated on the third Thursday of November and was founded by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH). RME Collaborative partnered with NOSORH, as well as Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM), to develop this virtual and dynamic full-day continuing education event that takes place on Saturday, November 23, 2019. The complimentary conference will occur entirely online. Through an innovative platform, participants across the US will have the opportunity to engage and interact with expert faculty in real time. Topics for RHCC 2019 include management of uncontrolled asthma, heart failure, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, and teledermatology implementation. “As a physician in rural Minnesota, I understand that medical practice and patient care is different in rural and underserved areas. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive curriculum covering clinical, practice management, and patient-centric topics that is tailored for clinicians, their practice, and the patients they serve,” said Barbara Yawn, MD, Chair of RHCC 2019. Eric VanStone, Principal of Talem Health and the driver of the organization’s rural initiatives, said, “Our mission with RHCC 2019, and all that we offer year-round, is to take the distance out of the equation so that rural health professionals have what they need to serve their patients best, while offering them outstanding and no-cost options for their continuing education.”   RME Collaborative Talem Health, LLC is a provider of medical education. Our mission is to engage and empower healthcare providers through high-quality, meaningful education. Talem Health developed Rural Medical Education (RME) Collaborative to focus on rural care and needs. RME Collaborative aims to support the professional and educational needs of rural healthcare professionals by providing high-quality, evidence-based continuing medical education. Through strategic partnerships and planning, RME Collaborative devises educational programs that are tailored to the specific challenges of care in rural areas. National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) was established in 1995 to assist State Offices of Rural Health (SORH). State Offices of Rural Health are key conveners and anchors of information in every state and provided technical assistance to over 70,000 clients last year. NOSORH and the 50 SORH are dedicated to building the capacity of SORHs and their stakeholders to improve the health of rural America through education, partnerships, and advocacy to grow an innovative rural health landscape, cultivate leadership for population health and health equity, and build capacity for data driven decision making and programming. Contact: Ashley Muninger, ashleym@nosorh.org NOSORH launched National Rural Health Day (NRHD) in 2009. Celebrated on the third Thursday of November each year, NRHD has become the most widely recognized annual day to “Celebrate the Power of Rural” by honoring the selfless, community-minded, “can do” spirit that prevails in rural America while also bringing to light the unique healthcare challenges that rural citizens face—and showcasing the efforts of rural health providers, State Offices of Rural Health, and other rural stakeholders to address those challenges. Contact: Michelle Rathman, Michelle@doitwithimpact.com. Postgraduate Institute for Medicine The Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM) has been providing trusted independent continuing education for healthcare professionals since 1979 and is a recognized leader for jointly provided continuing education activities. PIM is nationally accredited to certify education and issue continuing education credit to an interprofessional or multidisciplinary audience of learners, including physicians, physician assistants, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, psychologists, dentists, optometrists, healthcare executives, addiction counselors, and clinical laboratory professionals. The purpose of the PIM continuing healthcare education program is to deliver effective CME/CE activities that are designed to contribute to the professional development of physicians, as well as other healthcare professionals, support the development and function of collaborative interprofessional teams, and positively impact the delivery of healthcare. 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Talem Health and ProHealth Physicians Partner to Deliver Opioid Training to Health Care Providers

HARTFORD, CT, April 17, 2019 – ProHealth Physicians, Postgraduate Institute for Medicine, and Talem Health are launching a series of accredited continuing medical education activities throughout 2019 that address opioid analgesic management. As the nation continues to face a major public health crisis in the wake of an epidemic of opioid addiction, overdose and deaths, more opioid education is critical for all health care providers who treat patients suffering from acute and chronic pain. The Opioid Analgesics Risk Evaluation Mitigation Strategies (REMS) program is part of an initiative by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to educate and better prepare health care providers to more safely prescribe and monitor opioid analgesics. The goals of the program are to help clinicians more fully understand and weigh the risks and benefits of these medications in the outpatient setting, and more effectively communicate that balance to their patients. Last year, Talem Health, in collaboration with ProHealth Physicians in Connecticut and Postgraduate Institute for Medicine, was awarded a grant to educate health care providers on the REMS for opioid analgesics set forth by the FDA. This continuing-education initiative includes a 3-part series of live meetings to cover the content outlined by the FDA Blueprint for opioid REMS, as well as ongoing online reinforcement on key elements of safe opioid prescribing and pain management. The first live meeting will be held at the Hartford Hilton Downtown in Hartford Thursday, April 25. “As the country works to address the opioid epidemic and support safe opioid prescribing, there is a need to leverage partnerships and align educational efforts,” noted Eric VanStone, Principal of Talem Health. “Talem Health’s collaboration with ProHealth Physicians and Postgraduate Institute for Medicine will bring together all members of the health care team to address key barriers of pain management and guide clinicians towards improved prescribing practices.” “The mission of ProHealth Physicians and OptumCare is to help people live healthier lives and to make the health system work better for everyone,” said Thomas Meehan, M.D., MPH, Vice President of Research and Medical Education, ProHealth Physicians of Connecticut. “This includes arming our clinicians with practical knowledge on safe opioid prescribing and evidence-based treatment for pain and substance use disorders.” The Talem Summit Series: Safe and Appropriate Opioid Prescribing: A Systems-Based Approach is intended for all providers involved in the care and management of patients with pain, including primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists, and other relevant health professionals. Educational content will focus on appropriate prescribing of opioids, potential signs of abuse and addiction, and effective pain management, and will be reinforced through various instructional methods.   About Talem Health Talem Health, LLC is a provider of medical education. Our mission is to engage and empower healthcare providers through high-quality, meaningful education. Launched in January 2017, Talem Health is operated by a team with extensive experience in content development, project management, and program implementation. Our editorial team has broad experience in developing and planning educational activities for various learners across a wide range of therapeutic areas, as well as measuring outcomes at the patient level. Talem works alongside various partners, including accredited academic institutions, hospital networks, accountable care organizations, and other healthcare organizations. We work to understand the needs in order to develop learning strategies that will yield sustainable improvement and scalable change. About ProHealth Physicians ProHealth Physicians, Inc. is a physician-led medical group with more than 90 practice locations throughout Connecticut that empowers physicians and advanced clinicians to better serve patients through enhanced care processes in support of improved patient outcomes. ProHealth is part of OptumCare, a leading national information and technology-enabled health services business. Formed in 1997, ProHealth has grown to include more than 350 primary care and specialty providers and offers select specialty and diagnostic/therapeutic services such as ENT, pediatric and adult gastroenterology, plastic surgery, imaging, physical therapy, sleep medicine services, laboratory services, ADHD diagnosis and treatment, audiology, neurology, pulmonary medicine, and regional ExpressCare walk-in centers to meet patients’ needs for access and convenience. ProHealth cares for over 10% of Connecticut’s population and continues to expand throughout the state. About Postgraduate Institute for Medicine The Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM) has been providing trusted independent continuing education for healthcare professionals since 1979 and is a recognized leader for jointly provided continuing education activities. PIM is nationally accredited to certify education and issue continuing education credit to an interprofessional or multidisciplinary audience of learners, including physicians, physician assistants, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, psychologists, dentists, optometrists, healthcare executives, addiction counselors, and clinical laboratory professionals. The purpose of the PIM continuing healthcare education program is to deliver effective CME/CE activities that are designed to contribute to the professional development of physicians, as well as other healthcare professionals, support the development and function of collaborative interprofessional teams, and positively impact the delivery of healthcare. Read More

RME Collaborative Participates in Rural Matters Podcast Discussion on Importance of CME in Supporting Rural Clinicians

TRUMBULL, CT, April 15, 2019 — This week, Michelle Rathman welcomed Barbara Yawn, MD, a rural family medicine physician and educator, and Eric VanStone, Principal of RME Collaborative and Talem Health, to her podcast, Rural Matters. During the 40-minute podcast episode on April 12, 2019, the trio discussed the challenges facing clinicians in rural and underserved areas of the United States today, including ways to deliver care to patients without immediate access to specialists. The conversation also centered around the key role continuing medical education plays in supporting these clinicians and reducing disparities in care. Rathman, who works with rural health organizations and hospitals and is a speaker on topics such as rural health sustainability and workforce development, opened the conversation by noting that rural medicine presents “both a challenge and an opportunity.” Rural communities face unique challenges to accessing care, including geographic isolation, limited broadband internet, difficulty accessing transportation, and a shortage of health professionals. These inequities result in numerous health disparities, such as poor health and higher mortality for chronic conditions compared with urban residents. “Providers need to learn how to deliver care in a way they may not be used to,” Yawn points out. “That might include how to provide more with less, for example, through telehealth. One of the ways to engage busy rural primary care clinicians about what’s happening today in healthcare is to make sure the information provided is practical and useful for both them and their patients,” said Yawn. Continuing medical education can play a key role in closing gaps in patient care and outcomes through the creation of CME/CE programs that are tailored and relevant to rural clinicians. For example, such initiatives can provide important clinical updates on commonly seen conditions, address rural-specific barriers, and share information about how to utilize practical tools and resources such as telehealth. VanStone noted during the podcast that RME Collaborative, an education division of Talem Health, strives to meet these needs in all its educational initiatives. “From a rural perspective, we hone in on the specific needs and challenges of the learner. To help with retention, we focus on transferring value to these clinicians. We’re taking care of their specific needs and understanding how to deliver the education in order to best help improve their practice and, ultimately, patient outcomes,” he said. RME Collaborative accomplishes these goals by forming partnerships with renowned educators such as Dr. Yawn, as well as other key partners. It also uses various educational formats, methods, and technologies that have been shown to improve access to education and training. Virtual learning formats provide clinicians with convenient, relevant, and interactive educational opportunities without having to travel. For more information on RME Collaborative, please visit: https://talemhealth.com/rme-collaborative. To listen to the full podcast episode, click here.   About Rural Medical Education Collaborative Talem Health, LLC is a provider of medical education. Our mission is to engage and empower healthcare providers through high-quality, meaningful education. Talem Health created Rural Medical Education (RME) Collaborative, an education division dedicated to developing and delivering high-quality, relevant continuing education for providers serving rural and underserved areas. Through strategic partnerships and planning, RME Collaborative devises educational programs that are tailored to the specific challenges of care in rural areas. About Rural Matters Podcast Rural Matters is a biweekly, 30-minute podcast hosted by rural advocate and speaker Michelle Rathman about rural education, business, and health. The podcast’s mission is to increase awareness, inform discussion, and expand the dialogue on the most important issues facing rural stakeholders every day. Guests on the podcast include rural education decision-makers, rural business owners and entrepreneurs, and rural health care representatives. Read More

Live Programs Provide Latest Updates on Management of Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizures

SHELTON, CT, July 12, 2017 — Talem Health in collaboration with Boston University School of Medicine is presenting a series of 4 live educational events across the country this fall to improve the diagnosis and management of generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS). Complexities of Care in Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizures is designed to educate neurologists, epileptologists, and neurology fellows on strategies to improve the differential diagnosis of epilepsy, optimal management of GTCS with an emphasis on treatment-resistant cases, management of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and transition of pediatric to adult care, and medication adherence. “The program agenda meets the current educational needs of neurologists with an emphasis on current developments in epilepsy, including the new International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) classification of generalized seizures, important research on genetic testing in epilepsy, and updates on management of treatment-resistant GTCS,” said Program Chair Gregory L. Krauss, MD, Professor of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD. In addition to Dr. Krauss the meetings will feature faculty presenters Georgia D. Montouris, MD, (Course Director) and Joseph I. Sirven, MD. Meeting Dates, Locations, and Highlights The meetings will be held on the following dates at the following locations:

• September 9, 2017 in Chicago, IL
• September 16, 2017 in Boston, MA
• October 7, 2017 in New York, NY
• October 14, 2017 in Los Angeles, CA

Highlights of the program include the following:

• American Academy of Neurology Practice Guideline on sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP)
• ILAE classification of seizure types
• Updates on use of adjunctive therapies and cannabinoids for treatment-refractory GTCS

In addition, videos illustrating patients at risk for SUDEP and with challenging cases will be shown. Of note, the final component is a 1-hour interactive case studies section in which attendees will break into small groups to work through key decision points in a challenging case with a faculty member. About Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizures GTCS are a common and severely debilitating seizure type. These seizures are associated with a high level of morbidity and mortality, with potentially serious complications, including trauma, falls and fractures, aspiration pneumonia, and SUDEP. Management of GTCS is extremely challenging, as considerable barriers exist to selection of appropriate treatments, recognition and management of treatment resistance, patient adherence with antiepileptic drug regimen, and continuity of care. Importantly, many of these barriers are modifiable. About Talem Health Talem Health channels years of experience with a data-driven approach toward strategic solutions. By identifying educational gaps and barriers in clinical practice, we develop medical education programs tailored to specific target audiences to improve knowledge, competence, performance, and ultimately, patient outcomes. Talem Health collaborates with expert faculty, accredited academic institutions, and other healthcare organizations to produce high quality, evidence-based content. Paired with a tactical plan to address educational gaps, we provide a unique approach to curriculum design. About Boston University School of Medicine Boston University School of Medicine Continuing Medical Education supports and strengthens the knowledge, competence, and performance of our target audience, which includes our own clinical faculty and staff, local, national, and international healthcare providers—physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, physician assistants, and allied health professionals, enabling them to respond to the rapidly changing healthcare environment. As an accredited provider of both CME and continuing nursing education, we strive to provide interprofessional and interdisciplinary, team-focused education. We seek to serve our target audience by providing CME activities representing the broad range of clinical disciplines at Boston University School of Medicine. In particular, we focus on the educational needs of primary care providers while striving to address national healthcare priorities. We pay particular attention to quality improvement with the goal of enabling our target audience to assess and overcome barriers to achieving improved performance in practice. Our CME/continuing nursing education activities enable our participants to increase their knowledge, enhance their competence, and improve their performance, resulting in practice changes that will ultimately lead to improved patient health. We will measure our results by assessing the outcomes of our individual activities and through ongoing evaluation of our overall program. Contact Contact: Marilyn Morrow Phone: 800-913-9370 x 2 Email: mmorrow@audiencegeneration.com The program is supported by an educational grant from Eisai Inc. Read More

Talem Health Launches New Education Division, Rural Medical Education (RME) Collaborative

TRUMBULL, CT, June 1, 2017 — As part of its commitment to empower healthcare professionals through education and provide high-quality learning opportunities for all, Talem Health is excited to announce the launch of Rural Medical Education (RME) Collaborative. This new division of Talem Health is focused on designing tailored continuing education for clinicians who provide care to patients living in rural and underserved areas. Although 20% of the US population lives in rural areas, only 9% of physicians practice rurally. As a result, rural areas represent one of the largest physician-underserved populations in the country. This shortage of healthcare professionals has serious implications for access and quality of care—including higher rates of chronic conditions, hospitalizations, and mortality compared with urban areas. Primary care clinicians often provide services to patients in rural and underserved areas due to the absence of specialists who would traditionally deliver such care. This can be particularly challenging, as patients often have multiple chronic health issues and therefore have complex care needs. Unfortunately, access to continuing education can be problematic for clinicians in rural and underserved areas because of geographic isolation, difficulty getting time off from work, limited financial resources, and lack of applicable, relevant educational opportunities. “Recognizing the urban-rural health disparities, Talem Health developed an educational division focused solely on the needs and challenges of these areas,” noted Eric VanStone, Principal of RME Collaborative and Talem Health. “The name – Rural Medical Education Collaborative – was not by accident. We believe collaborations and partnerships at local, regional, and state levels are essential to understanding the broad, unique educational needs of clinicians who serve patients from rural and underserved areas and to providing high-quality, relevant continuing education.” To address these challenges, RME Collaborative plans to use various educational formats, methods, and technologies that have been shown to improve access to education and training. Virtual learning formats will provide clinicians with convenient, relevant, and interactive educational opportunities without having to travel. In addition, collaborations with key partners will help ensure that the educational initiatives are effective and tailored to the unique challenges faced by healthcare professionals treating patients in rural and underserved communities. For more information on RME Collaborative, please visit: https://talemhealth.com/rme-collaborative.   About Talem Health Talem Health, LLC is a provider of medical education. Our mission is to engage and empower healthcare providers through high-quality, meaningful education. Launched in January 2017, Talem Health is operated by a team with extensive experience in content development, project management, and program implementation. Our editorial team has broad experience in developing and planning educational activities for various learners across a wide range of therapeutic areas, as well as measuring outcomes at the patient level. Talem works alongside various partners, including accredited academic institutions, hospital networks, accountable care organizations, and other healthcare organizations. We work to understand the needs in order to develop learning strategies that will yield sustainable improvement and scalable change. Read More