During this webcast, learners will compare the differences between traditional “open” surgery and minimally invasive colectomies (MICs). Additionally, they will review the risk of complications, recovery time and financial outcomes and evaluate the benefits of reducing the length of stay in the hospital. They will also become familiar with the type of patient who is eligible for minimally invasive surgical interventions.

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

• Compare and contrast the risk-benefit ratio of MICs vs traditional surgery for colectomies on quality indicators including length of stay, effectiveness, complications, quality and financial outcomes;
• Apply strategies to increase competency and support for minimally invasive surgery; and,
• Identify key patient selection criteria for laparoscopic vs traditional surgery, including evidence for minimally invasive surgeries in high-risk patients including the elderly.

Presenter
Evie Carchman, MD
Assistant Professor
Division of Colorectal Surgery
Division of General Surgery
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Madison, WI

About the presenter
Dr. Evie Carchman is a fellowship-trained colon and rectal surgeon. She has special expertise in the treatment of colon cancer; rectal cancer; inflammatory bowel disease; benign conditions of the colon, rectum, and anus; and endoscopic treatment of colon disease. Dr. Carchman utilizes minimally invasive techniques, including laparoscopic and single-incision laparoscopic surgery, to treat colon and rectal disease. Dr. Carchman’s research interests focus on the pathogenesis and treatment of anal cancer.

Activity planners
Sarah Chart, RN
Senior Director
OptumHealth Education
Eden Prairie, MN

Rebecca Gleason, RN, CCM
Activity Manager
OptumHealth Education
Eden Prairie, MN

V. Silverstein, MD
Eagle Creek Medical Communications
Durham, NC

Disclosures of relevant financial relationships
In accordance with the ACCME Standards for Commercial SupportSM, OptumHealth Education requires all those in the control of activity content to disclose their relevant financial relationships. An individual has a relevant financial relationship if such person (or his/her spouse/partner) has a financial relationship in any amount occurring in the last 12 months with a commercial interest whose products or services relate to the activity content.

OptumHealth Education ensures that the content is independent of commercial bias.
Ms. Chart and Ms. Gleason have indicated that they are employees of and own stock in UnitedHealth Group.
The remaining activity faculty or planners have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Method of participation
There are no fees for participating in or receiving credit for this activity.
For information on applicability and acceptance of continuing education credit for this activity, please consult your professional licensing board.

Participants will receive a certificate upon successful completion of the activity, which includes the following:

• Completing the entire activity
• Completing the Pre- and Post-Activity Assessments, Activity Evaluation, and Application for Certificate of Credit forms

You must be logged into your account to participate in this activity. Get started by clicking "Begin" and viewing the "CE Info"; 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. The Area of Practice you indicated in your profile corresponds with your certificate type. A complete listing of all of your activities can be found under "My Account", "My Activities."

Method for calculating CE credit
CE credit was calculated based on the complexity of content.

Accreditation Statement
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by OptumHealth Education and UnitedHealth Group. OptumHealth 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 healthcare team.

Credit designation statements
Nurses
Participants will be awarded up to 1.00 contact hour 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.

Physicians
OptumHealth Education designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

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

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 pre-approved for credits. To apply for credit types not listed above, participants should use the procedure established by the specific organization with which they wish to obtain credit.

Provided by
This activity is provided by OptumHealth Education and UnitedHealth Group.

Commercial support
There was no commercial support received for this activity.

Hardware/software requirements
To view this activity you will need Internet Explorer 7.0+ or Firefox 3.0+ with Windows Media Player 9+, RealPlayer 12+, or Adobe Flash Player 9+. Be sure to disable any pop-up blocking software prior to beginning this activity.