The Association of Reproductive Health Professionals (ARHP) is sponsoring The Role of the Health Care Provider in Improving Quality of Life for Patients with Overactive Bladder, an education program for health care providers. The purpose of this program is to increase providers’ ability to effectively diagnose, treat, and counsel women and men about OAB.

For more information about the program, please contact Camille Harris at charris@arhp.org or (202) 621-1436.

Background

Nearly one in three adults suffer from the urinary urgency and frequency—with and without incontinence—that characterize overactive bladder (OAB).¹ Although treatable, most women and men with OAB suffer in silence.² Patients and providers are often confused about whether OAB symptoms are “normal” and are embarrassed to discuss sensitive topics like urination. Yet when providers can effectively counsel and educate patients about their condition, patients are more likely to adhere to treatments that can offer relief from troublesome OAB symptoms.^3-5It is critical for clinicians to understand the interplay between all types of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in order to accurately assess, diagnose, and treat patients suffering from these conditions.^6-7

Program Design and Educational Activities

Current program components include:

• Power point slide set with talking points, case studies and learning activities
• Integration of content into CORE, ARHP’s on-line, open-access collection of peer-reviewed, evidence-based teaching materials
• 1 archived webinar
• Quick Reference Guide for Clinicians
• Expansion of the ARHP Virtual Clinic

This case-based continuing education program utilizes RealCME, an interactive, self-directed program through which participants virtually interact with multiple patients in a virtual clinic (vClinic). The vClinic is designed to replicate the real-world experiences of busy clinicians, enabling learners to “meet and care for” patients over several visits. This web-based platform incorporates key principles of adult learning theory by enabling participants to actively apply their knowledge to relevant situations at a self-controlled pace. The vClinic (click here) is available at no cost through ARHP’s Web site.

Previous program components include:

• 2 live sessions
• 2 live webinars

Expected Outcome

At the conclusion of this program, participants should be able to:

• Demonstrate effective counseling skills in order to facilitate conversations about OAB with appropriate patients
• Recognize the signs of OAB and conduct a differential diagnosis with appropriate patients in order to provide evidence-based care
• Provide pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, emphasizing adherence, to address OAB in appropriate patients
• Develop strategies for the provision of patient centered care, including the provision of an appropriate referral to a specialist

Intended Audience and Accreditation

The target audiences for these educational activities are professionals who provide primary and reproductive health care to women and men, including physicians, nurse practitioners, nurse-midwives, physician assistants, pharmacists, educators, and other members of the health care team in ob/gyn, family and internal medicine, and related settings. Primary care providers and ob/gyns are often the first to encounter patients with LUTS (or patients whose partners are symptomatic), and they play a crucial role in accurately diagnosing OAB and following up with proper treatment and/or referrals.

The sessions associated with this program will be accredited for continuing medical education, nursing contact hours, pharmacology, and pharmacist credits.

Funding

This project is funded through educational grants from Allergan, Inc., Astellas Pharma Inc., and Pfizer.

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1. Onukwugha E, Zuckerman IH, McNally D, et al. The total economic burden of overactive bladder in the United States: A disease-specific approach. Am J Manag Care. 2009 Mar; 15:S90-S97.
2. Benner JS, Becker R, Fanning K, et al. Bother related to bladder control and health care seeking behavior in adults in the United States. J Urol. 2009 Jun; 181(6):2591-8.
3. Dmochowski RR, Newman DK. Impact of overactive bladder on women in the United States: Results of a national survey. Curr Med Res Opin. 2007 Jan; 23(1):65-76.
4. Pelletier EM, Vats V, Clemens JQ. Pharmacotherapy adherence and cost versus nonpharmacologic management in overactive bladder. Am J Manag Care. 2009 Mar; 15:S108-S114.
5. Schabert VF, Bavendam T, Goldberg EL, et al. Challenges for managing overactive bladder and guidance for patient support. Am J Manag Care. 2009 Mar; 15:S118-S122.
6. Irwin DE, Milsom I, Hunskaar S, et al. Population-based survey of urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, and other lower urinary tract symptoms in five countries: Results of the EPIC study. Eur Urol. 2006 Dec; 50(6):1306-14.
7. Chapple CR, Wein AJ, Abrams P, et al. Lower urinary tract symptoms revisited: A broader clinical perspective. Eur Urol. 2008 Sep; 54(3):563-9.