Home > Risk Management & Patient Safety > Online CME Activities > Acute Myocardial Infarction (MI) CME

Two Cardiologists Speak Out on the Complexities
of Diagnosing Acute Myocardial Infarction



This CME offering is composed of two parts:

Part I - "Reflections of a Cardiologist: Errors of Omission in Diagnosing Acute Myocardial Infarction" by Joseph Wilson, Jr., MD

Part II - "Women & Heart Disease: Coronary artery disease (CAD) Until Proven Otherwise" by Gina Price Lundberg, MD

Failure to timely diagnose and treat acute myocardial infarction is one of the most common forms of medical negligence often resulting from a diagnostic “error of omission”. In this CME offering, two practicing cardiologists share their insights and wisdom about the challenges physicians face when evaluating and diagnosing heart attack.

In Part I, Dr. Wilson briefly reviews the pathology of acute coronary syndrome, discusses the specific challenges physicians face in diagnosing heart attacks, and emphasizes that physicians’ documentation should support the diagnosis for either ischemic or nonischemic symptoms as they relate to the pattern seen in coronary artery disease, justifying the reasons why coronary artery disease should be excluded or why it is unclear.

In Part II, Dr. Lundberg focuses on the challenges of diagnosing Acute Myocardial Infarction (MI) CME in women. Much of the information she provides augments and supports the comments Dr. Wilson makes in Part I. She discusses pertinent risk factors, statistics, risk factors, current study results & differential diagnosis of chest pain syndromes. She has also included an algorithm, Chest Discomfort and Palpitation, which physicians should find useful.

Both authors provide real life Claims Lessons and make clinical risk management suggestions to assist physicians in reducing liability risk and to prevent patient injury. (Please note: CME credit for this test can only be given to our insureds)

At the conclusion of this activity physicians should be able to:

• Establish a sound diagnostic approach for patients who may be undergoing acute coronary syndrome.
• Improve documentation of diagnostic rationale and process.
• List the risk factors for CAD shared by men and women.
• Recognize additional risk factors for CAD in women.
• Identify the symptom presentation for CAD in women.
• Recognize the differential diagnosis of chest pain syndromes.
• Describe practical steps physicians can take to improve quality of care and reduce their liability risks.

Joseph S. Wilson, MD
Cardiology of Atlanta, PC
Atlanta, Georgia

Gina Price Lundberg, M.D., FACC
The Women's Heart Center
Cardiology of Georgia, P.C.
Atlanta, Georgia

Georgette Samaritan, RN, BSN
Senior Risk Management & Patient Safety Consultant
MAG Mutual Insurance Company

Each course includes a test. Completed tests are electronically submitted to MagMutual by using the "Submit" button at the end of the test. A passing score is 80% or above. If you achieve a passing score, a certificate of completion will be mailed to the address you will give on your test. You must use a computer that supports either Internet Explorer (Version 3.0 or higher), Netscape Navigator (Version 3.0 or higher) or Mozilla Firefox (Version 2.0 or higher) to take this test online. If you wish to take a written version of this test, please contact us. You must complete the evaluation at the end of the test before credit can be awarded. Your test form will be electronically scored and the results immediately displayed on your screen.

(This CME requires reading both of the articles below)

Read Article I
Read Article II
(Adobe Acrobat Reader required:)
(click here for the free program if you do not have it)

(Please note: CME credit for this test can only be given to our insureds)

CME faculty are required to disclose to the audience any commercial relationships that may create or may be perceived as creating a potential conflict of interest with the material being presented or discussed. This disclosure does not reflect on the quality of the activity, but allows participants to make informed judgments regarding program content. The above faculty has an affiliation/financial interest as follows:

Joseph Wilson, Jr., MD, Policyholder, MAG Mutual Insurance Company and Board Member

Gina Price Lundberg, M.D., FACC -- Policyholder, MAG Mutual Insurance Company

Georgette Samaritan, RN, BSN, Senior Risk Management Risk Management & Patient Safety Consultant, Employee MAG Mutual Insurance Company

Date of Original Release: April 3, 2006
Reviewed: July 21, 2009
Termination Date: July 21, 2012

MAG Mutual Insurance Company is accredited by the Medical Association of Georgia to offer continuing medical education to physicians. MagMutual designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

For more information, email us.