WASHINGTON, DC—For the first time since its inception in 1999, the Disease Management Association of America (DMAA) will offer continuing education credit to health care executives at its annual Disease Management Leadership Forum (DMLF) and other DMAA events.

The DMAA will offer health care executive continuing education (CE) through a three-year agreement with the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), which this week awarded the DMAA approval for Category II (non-ACHE) CE credit at the 2006 DMLF, Dec. 3 to 5, in Denver, and two other DMAA-sponsored events this year.

The ACHE decision enhances DMAA’s position as a leading provider of education in the disease management community, DMAA Executive Director Tracey Moorhead said. "The ACHE approval of our application underscores our commitment to meeting the diverse needs of our membership and reaching out to all professionals in disease management and care coordination," she said. "We're extremely pleased to offer this added value to the DMLF and other DMAA programs."

In mid-February, the DMAA submitted an application to the ACHE for approval of health care executive continuing education at the April 5 to 6 Third Annual Predictive Modeling and Risk Adjustment Seminar, co-sponsored by the DMAA and the Society of Actuaries, in Chicago; the 2006 DMLF; and a Dec. 2 summit, also in Denver, titled "Using DM Programs to Treat and Prevent Obesity and Associated Co-Morbidities." In its application letter, the DMAA pointed to its experience providing continuing education for physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other health care professionals, and emphasized its desire to give executives the same opportunity.

The DMAA is a nonprofit, voluntary membership association representing all stakeholders in disease management and care coordination. Through advocacy targeting the health care industry, government agencies, employers and the general public, the DMAA promotes the important role disease management and care coordination play in improving care quality and outcomes for people with chronic conditions. Visit the DMAA online at www.dmaa.org.