Statement of Need

Appalachia faces significant healthcare challenges, particularly in rural and underserved areas where access to primary and preventive care remains limited. This region consistently ranks among the lowest in national health metrics, with high rates of chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Given the shortage of primary care providers in many Appalachian regions, advanced practice providers (APPs)—including nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician associates (PAs)—play a crucial role in bridging healthcare gaps, providing cost-effective, high-quality medical care, and improving overall population health. NPs and PAs are particularly well-positioned to provide patient-centered care and manage chronic conditions, like obesity. This educational activity will empower APPs to address the growing rates of obesity in Appalachia, including discussing obesity with patients and prescribing pharmacotherapy for weight loss.

After participating in this education, learners will be able to:

• Summarize data on the clinical, economic, and societal burden of obesity in Appalachia.
• Identify the key components of a comprehensive obesity management plan.
• Review available pharmacological options for obesity, their efficacy, dosing, and side-effects.
• Discuss emerging data on the benefits of obesity medication beyond weight loss.
• Delineate monitoring requirements for pharmacologic therapies used for obesity.
• Discuss techniques for using shared decision-making with patients with obesity.

Credit Designations

IPCE

This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 1.00 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit(s) for learning and change.

CME

This activity is designated for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physician should claim only credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AANP

This activity is approved for 1.00 contact hour(s) of continuing education (which includes 0.75(s) of pharmacology) by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners®. Activity ID# 25107559. This activity was planned in accordance with AANP Accreditation Standards and Policies.

AAPA

This activity has been reviewed by the American Academy of Physician Associates Review Panel and is compliant with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Approval is valid from 11/15/2025 to 11/14/2026. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation. AAPA reference number: CME-2014493.

CNE

The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 1.00 nursing contact hour (which includes 0.75 of pharmacology).

OTHER

UK HealthCare CECentral certifies this activity for 1.00 hours of participation.

Content Reviewer

Cheryl Vanderford, MSPAS, PA-C

Planners

Chelsey Goins, PhD

Terry Glauser, MD

Financial Disclosures

All planners, faculty, and others in control of educational content are required to disclose all their financial relationships with ineligible companies within the prior 24 months. An ineligible company is defined as one whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. Financial relationships are relevant if the educational content an individual can control is related to the business lines or products of the ineligible company.

None of the planners, faculty, and others in control of educational content for this educational activity have relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose with ineligible companies.

The material presented in this course represents information obtained from the scientific literature as well as the clinical experiences of the speakers. In some cases, the presentations might include discussion of investigational agents and/or off-label indications for various agents used in clinical practice.

Speakers will inform the audience when they are discussing investigational and/or off-label uses.

Content review confirmed that the content was developed in a fair, balanced manner free from commercial bias. Disclosure of a relationship is not intended to suggest or condone commercial bias in any presentation, but it is made to provide participants with information that might be of potential importance to their evaluation of a presentation.

Acknowledgment

This activity is supported by an independent educational grant from Novo Nordisk.

The program is jointly provided by the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and QDcme.