Unraveling the Past, Paving the Way for the Future—Rethinking Pulmonary Function Tests Beyond Race

December 5, 2023

Activity description

Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) are commonly utilized for the diagnosis and ongoing monitoring of pulmonary conditions. However, the inclusion of race in the reporting and interpretation of PFT results introduces the potential to contribute to health disparities and amplify race-based health inequities. This activity aims to enhance participants’ comprehension of race-based adjustments in clinical algorithms and increase competency in race-neutral and impartial interpretation of PFTs.

The presenter for this webcast, Dr. Nirav Bhakta, served as the co-chair of the American Thoracic Society (ATS) workshop responsible for shaping the 2023 ATS statement on race in PFT interpretation. Drawing upon his extensive expertise as a pulmonologist and his pivotal role in the formulation of these new ATS guidelines, Dr. Bhakta will delve into the historical context behind race-specific PFTs, address the rationale behind the shift and review the pivotal aspects and implications of adopting a race-neutral approach.

Provided by
This activity is provided by Optum Health Education and Optum Labs.

Commercial support
No commercial support was received for this activity.

Required hardware/software
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Target Audience

This activity is designed to meet the educational needs of nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists/pharmacy technicians, physicians, including family physicians, PAs, psychologists, social workers, therapists and other health care professionals (HCPs) who have an interest in learning how to make informed and unbiased diagnostic and treatment decisions for patients from diverse backgrounds.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this educational activity, participants should be able to:

  • Describe how race was historically embedded in PFT interpretation.
  • Identify nongenetic determinants of lung function that might contribute to racial differences in lung growth and functional decline.
  • Evaluate race-specific PFT interpretation and how this approach might lead to health disparities.
  • Articulate the rationale for race-neutral PFT interpretation.
  • Recognize and address the unintended consequences and practical challenges in moving to race-neutral PFT interpretation.
Activity summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 AAFP - Family Physicians
  • 1.00 ABIM MOC - Physicians
  • 1.00 ACPE - Pharmacists
  • 1.00 ACPE - Pharmacy Technicians
  • 1.00 AMA - Physicians
  • 1.00 ANCC - Nurses
  • 1.00 APA - Psychologists
  • 1.00 Attendance - General Attendance
  • 1.00 ASWB - Social Workers
Activity opens: 
10/16/2023
Activity expires: 
01/05/2024
Event starts: 
12/05/2023 - 2:00pm EST
Event ends: 
12/05/2023 - 3:00pm EST
Rating: 
5

Presenter
Dr. Nirav Bhakta wearing a pink shirt and glasses standing in front of foliageNirav Bhakta, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy & Sleep Medicine
University of California, San Francisco

Dr. Bhakta is director of education and associate director in the Adult Pulmonary Function Laboratory at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). As vice chair of the American Thoracic Society (ATS) Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) Committee, he is committed to disseminating best practices for PFTs through technical standards, guidelines and textbooks. He recently co-chaired the ATS workshop on race in PFT interpretation that led to the publication of an official ATS Statement: Race and Ethnicity in Pulmonary Function Test Interpretation. 

Dr. Bhakta earned his medical degree and doctorate from Stanford University. He completed his residency in internal medicine, his fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine, and his postdoctoral fellowship in asthma genomics at UCSF. After a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine and postdoctoral work in translational asthma research, both at UCSF, Dr. Bhakta joined the faculty in 2013. In addition to the PFT lab, he also serves as an attending physician in the general pulmonary clinics and intensive care units.

Activity planner
Elizabeth Albert, MD
Clinical Activity Manager
Optum Health Education

Disclosures of relevant financial relationships
In accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education's (ACCME) Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, Optum Health Education (OHE) requires all those in control of educational content to disclose their financial relationships with ineligible companies within the prior 24 months. Ineligible companies are defined by the ACCME as companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care products used by or on patients. Individuals must disclose all financial relationships, regardless of the amount, with ineligible companies and regardless of their view of the relevance of the relationship to the education. OHE ensures that the content is independent of commercial bias.

The faculty and planners have no financial relationships to disclose.

All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.

Accreditation statement
Joint Provider LogoIn support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Optum Health Education and Optum Labs. Optum Health Education is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the health care team.

Credit designation statements
Nurses
The participant will be awarded up to 1.00 contact hour(s) of credit for attendance and completion of supplemental materials.

Nurse practitioners
The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME and ANCC.

Pharmacists/Pharmacy technicians
This activity is approved for 1.00 contact hour ([0.10] CEU) in states that recognize ACPE.
Attending the full program will earn 1.00 contact hour.
Unique Activity Number(s):  JA0007123-9999-23-118-L99-P/T

Physicians
Optum Health Education designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s). Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The AAFP has reviewed Unraveling the Past, Paving the Way for the Future—Rethinking Pulmonary Function Tests Beyond Race and deemed it acceptable for up to 1.0 Live AAFP Prescribed credit. Term of Approval is from 12/05/2023 to 12/05/2023. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

American Board of Internal Medicine
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 1.0 Medical Knowledge Maintenance of Certification (MOC) points in the American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) MOC program. Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME credits claimed for the activity. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.

Please note, by claiming ABIM points, you authorize Optum Health Education to share your attendance information with the ABIM.

PAs
The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

Psychologists
Optum Health Education is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to offer continuing education for psychologists. Optum Health Education maintains responsibility for this program. 1.00 CE hour.

Social workers
ACE LogoAs a Jointly Accredited Organization, Optum Health Education is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Optum Health Education maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1.00 live continuing education credits.

Counselors and/or marriage and family therapists
CA: The Board of Behavioral Sciences has deferred CE course approvals to APA and ASWB for its licensees. See those approvals under Psychologists and Social Workers.
Other States: If your state is not specifically listed, nearly all state Counselor and MFT boards accept either APA or ASWB approval, or are reciprocal with other state licensing board approvals. Check with your board to be sure.

Attendance
A certificate of attendance will be provided to learners upon completion of activity requirements, enabling participants to register with licensing boards or associations that have not been preapproved for credits. To apply for credit types not listed above, participants should use the procedure established by the specific organization from which they wish to obtain credit.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 AAFP - Family Physicians
  • 1.00 ABIM MOC - Physicians
  • 1.00 ACPE - Pharmacists
  • 1.00 ACPE - Pharmacy Technicians
  • 1.00 AMA - Physicians
  • 1.00 ANCC - Nurses
  • 1.00 APA - Psychologists
  • 1.00 Attendance - General Attendance
  • 1.00 ASWB - Social Workers
Please log in to register.

These materials are intended ONLY for those that attended the live webcast on Tuesday, December 5, 2023.
You must be logged into your account to participate in this activity. Get started by clicking “Begin/Continue” and viewing the “Post-Activity Assessment”; then follow the prompts at the bottom of the screen. At the end of the activity, you will be able to view, save or print your certificate of participation. A complete listing of all of your activities can be found under “My Account”, “My Activities.”

Fees: There are no fees for participating in or receiving credit for this activity.

Questions: Email moreinfo@optumhealtheducation.com.