Evaluation and Management of Parapneumonic Pleural Effusions

Needs Statement

Physicians, fellows, residents, physician assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, medical students, and students in other health professions need to receive regular updates on recent advances in internal medicine. Special sessions will focus specifically on undergraduate and graduate medical education, ethical issues, quality improvement, patient safety, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. The series aims to expand clinical knowledge, implement evidence-based clinical practices, enhance the quality of care for U.S. veterans, and improve patient outcomes.

Educational Objectives

At the conclusion of the session, the participants should be able to:

• Identify the clinical signs and symptoms of a parapneumonic pleural effusion.
• Recognize when to refer a patient with a pleural effusion to a subspecialist for further evaluation.
• Demonstrate greater understanding of the various strategies for managing parapneumonic pleural effusions.

Target Audience

Accreditation/Credit Designation

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of Baylor College of Medicine and Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. Baylor College of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Baylor College of Medicine designates this enduring material activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure Policy

Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education (CME) for physicians. BCM is committed to sponsoring CE activities that are scientifically based, accurate, current, and objectively presented.

In accordance with the ACCME Standards for Commercial Support, BCM has implemented a mechanism requiring everyone in a position to control the content of an educational activity (i.e., directors, planning committee members, faculty) to disclose any relevant financial relationships with commercial interests (drug/device companies) and manage/resolve any conflicts of interest prior to the activity. Individuals must disclose to participants the existence or non-existence of financial relationships at the time of the activity or within 24 months prior.

In addition, BCM has requested activity faculty/presenters to disclose to participants any unlabeled use or investigational use of pharmaceutical/device products; to use scientific or generic names (not trade names) in referring to products; and, if necessary to use a trade name, to use the names of similar products or those within a class. Faculty/presenters have also been requested to adhere to the ACCME's validation of clinical content statements.

BCM does not view the existence of financial relationships with commercial interests as implying bias or decreasing the value of a presentation. It is up to participants to determine whether the relationships influence the activity faculty with regard to exposition or conclusions. If at any time during this activity you feel that there has been commercial/promotional bias, notify the Activity Director or Activity Coordinator. Please answer the questions about balance and objectivity in the activity evaluation candidly.

All of the relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated.