CD–ROM

An interactive learning experience is now available for physicians to increase their knowledge on the management of patients with bleeding disorders. It’s called A Physician’s Primer on Hemophilia and Other Bleeding Disorders: An Interactive CD–ROM Medical Resource. The CD–ROM is intended for physicians who don’t regularly treat persons with bleeding disorders – primary care physicians, OB/GYNs and emergency room doctors, specifically – but who may well be called upon to do so.

A Physician’s Primer features 17 scenarios based on actual patient care situations experienced by hemophilia treatment centers (HTCs). The scenarios cover pediatric and adult hemophilia and von Willebrand disease treatment situations, including those of carriers.

A Physician’s Primer is an interactive extension of the “Do you know me?” bleeding disorders educational poster developed by the IHTC in 1999. The poster, originally distributed to hospital emergency rooms (ERs) throughout Indiana, was sent to HTCs across the United States for distribution to local ERs. Baxter Healthcare Corp. graciously sponsored both the national mailing of the poster and underwriting of the Physician’s Primer CD–ROM.

The poster outlines at–a–glance emergency room procedures for medical personnel faced with emergent treatment of a person with a bleeding disorder. Because of its imagery, sound, interactivity, realistic patient care scenarios and nonlinear yet straightforward navigation, the CD–ROM gives the poster life. It teaches and entertains. A friendly question and answer format guides the viewer through each patient situation. Get an answer wrong, and helpful hints are provided. Get it right, and additional information about diagnosis and treatment is displayed.

A Physician’s Primer is the brainchild of the IHTC, authored by Amy Shapiro, M.D., the center’s medical director, and Jennifer Maahs, IHTC pediatric nurse practitioner. An editorial committee of distinguished hematologists from throughout North America also contributed to the project. Eight physician editors – all hematologists specializing in bleeding disorders ­ were assigned multiple tasks: to review the scenarios, create a patient chart to match each scenario and recommend accompanying reference material.

The CD–ROM also provides CME (continuing medical education) credits for physicians. It will be available in March 2002, National Hemophilia Awareness Month. If you are a physician, nurse practitioner or nurse (CEUs – continuing education units – will be available in 2002) and would like to receive a copy of A Physician’s Primer, please contact the IHTC at 317.871.0011, ext. 207 or by email at cd–rom@ihtc.org. This offer is also open to patients with bleeding disorders or family members interested in passing along a copy to their primary care providers.