Support Statement

Supported by an educational grant from Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc.

Learning Objective

After completing this educational activity, you should be able to:

• Adopt a patient-centered approach to treatment for patients with schizophrenia

Release, Review, and Expiration Dates

This brief report activity was published in March 2021 and is eligible for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ through March 31, 2023. The latest review of this material was January 2021.

Statement of Need and Purpose

The goals of schizophrenia treatment are to control symptoms, prevent relapse, and improve functioning and quality of life. For many patients, these goals are not being met. Unfortunately, clinicians often make decisions that are not concordant with clinical evidence or guidelines. Psychiatrists cite personal experience as the factor that most influences their decision-making about treatment for patients with schizophrenia. Clinicians are often not taking a patient-centered approach to schizophrenia treatment selection; thus, patients feel uninvolved in the choice of their treatment and report less satisfaction with care. Guidelines recommend taking into account not only comorbid illness, concurrent medications, previous medication experiences, and side effect profiles but also patient preferences when selecting antipsychotics. Clinicians would benefit from a review of effective, evidence-based care to help patients improve adherence. They also need to know about new agents that may treat a broader range of symptoms and limit side effects that decrease patients’ adherence and must recognize the importance of adopting a patient-centered approach to schizophrenia treatment. This activity was designed to meet the needs of participants in CME activities provided by the CME Institute of Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc., who have requested information on schizophrenia.

Disclosure of Off-Label Usage

Dr Harvey has determined that, to the best of his knowledge, no investigational information about pharmaceutical agents or device therapies that is outside US Food and Drug Administration–approved labeling has been presented in this activity.

Review Process

The faculty members agreed to provide a balanced and evidence-based presentation and discussed the topics and CME objectives during the planning sessions. The faculty’s submitted content was validated by CME Institute staff, and the activity was evaluated for accuracy, use of evidence, and fair balance by the Chair and a peer reviewer who is without conflict of interest.

Acknowledgment

This activity is derived from the teleconference series “Overcoming Adherence Issues and Providing Patient-Centered Care for People Living With Schizophrenia,” which was held in October–November 2020 and supported by an educational grant from Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc. The opinions expressed herein are those of the faculty and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the CME provider and publisher or the commercial supporter.