Target Audience

Healthcare providers of all specialties may benefit from the information presented.

Goals and Objectives

What is the difference between compensated and decompensated cirrhosis? Why is precise monitoring of kidney functioning so important? How can we prevent infections? Join Dr. Peter Buch for  an informative session where you will discover a practical, clinically oriented review. At the conclusion of this course, the learner should be able to:

• Understand the difference between compensated and decompensated cirrhosis.
• Recognize the spectrum and consequences of alcohol induced illness including fatty liver disease, and alcoholic hepatitis, as well as cirrhosis and its consequences.
• Apply the CAGE questions when speaking to patients about alcohol consumption.
• Identify risk factors for variceal bleeding.

Course Information

CME Release Date: April 22, 2022
Valid for credit through:  April 21, 2025
Course type: Enduring Material
Estimated time of completion: 1 hour

Credits Available

Southern Medical Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Southern Medical Association designates this Enduring Material for a maximum of  .75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AAPA: AAPA accepts certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society. 

AANPCP: The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

Healthcare Professionals
For information on applicability and acceptance of continuing education credit for this activity, please consult your professional licensing board.  All healthcare professionals who are not MDs or DOs will receive a certificate of participation.

Instructions for Participation and Credit

This activity is designed to be completed within the time designated; learners should claim only those credits that reflect the time actually spent in the activity. To successfully earn credit, participants must complete the activity online during the valid credit period noted, following these steps:

• Read the goals and objectives, accreditation information, and author disclosures.
• Login in below to study the educational content and references.
• Complete the attestation, post-test (if applicable), and evaluation.

Upon successful completion of these components, your certificate will be processed and emailed from customerservice@sma.org within approximately 1 hour. Credits will be archived for 6 years; at any point within this time period you may login to your account to print a duplicate copy of your certificate.

Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships

Southern Medical Association (SMA) requires instructors, planners, managers, and all other individuals who are in a position to control the content of this activity to disclose conflicts of interest (COI) with ineligible entities within the last 24 months of the development of this activity. All identified COIs are thoroughly vetted and mitigated prior to the release of the activity. SMA is committed to providing its learners with high quality activities and related materials that promote improvements or quality in healthcare and not a specific proprietary business interest of a commercial interest.

The following individuals, unless otherwise noted, have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Peter Buch, MD, FACG, AGAF, FACP
Dr. Peter Buch is a clinical gastroenterologist with over 30 years of teaching experience. Teaching is his passion! His style is case based, practical, interactive and fun. Dr. Buch is an Associate Professor at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, and the Frank H. Netter, MD School of Medicine. 

He is a graduate of Downstate Medical Center and completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine and his fellowship in Gastroenterology at Long Island Jewish-Hillside Medical Center (now a branch of Northwell Health).

Over the last several years, Dr. Buch has been honored to present at dozens of national conferences. He loves interacting with his audiences and always learns from them.