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Continuing education strategy for primary health care physicians on the pharmacological management of people living with chronic conditions

Cecilia AMERICO DE ALMEIDA MARTINS, Fernanda TELES LEIRO, Erica SANTOS BARBOSA, Maria Fernanda ERNESTO SILVA QUARESMA, Maria Clara PEREIRA RAMOS and Rafael MESQUITA BERNARDES

Continuing Education in Health contributes to the organization of services, qualification, and transformation of health practices. The interprofessional Working Group (WG) for the Care of People with Chronic Conditions, promotes training activities aimed at qualifying professionals in Primary Health Care (PHC).To train physicians on the pharmacological management of Diabetes mellitus (DM), with an updated theoretical framework and applicability in the clinical practice of PHC.A face-to-face training course was developed for PHC physicians, integrating the institutional continuing education program. It was based on a Guide to the Care of People with Systemic Arterial Hypertension and Type 2 DM in PHC, developed by the WG and updated according to the clinical guidelines published in 2025. Each edition of the course lasted 8 hours, divided into 2 meetings of 4 hours each, with a 30-day interval. For the first meeting, a clinical consultation was chosen focusing on oral antidiabetic drugs, cardiovascular risk stratification, and dyslipidemia. The second meeting addressed insulin administration. Team-Based Learning and a commented clinical case were used. Random division into 5 subgroups occurred in the first meeting and by affinity in the following, where questions regarding medication management were answered. Consensus on answers was established in the large group discussion and feedback was based on the Guide. Training was provided on glycemic adjustments and handling of insulin delivery devices. Information was gathered regarding the supply chain. A form was completed indicating suggestions and impacts on future practice.There were 102 participants. The questionnaire responses highlighted the relevance of the course as a qualifier for professional practice; they contributed to improving the methodology for the second meeting and reinforced the importance of the Guide as a reference point for the technical debate. The comparison of the course editions confirmed its reproducibility.Replicable educational interventions, with a systematized theoretical framework aligned with the best scientific evidence, contribute to standardizing practices and strengthening clinical practice in PHC.Continuing education makes it possible to improve care processes in chronic diseases. The simultaneous replication of the course, the clinical discussions and the analysis of the questionnaire responses consolidate the reproducibility for future training.