TITLE
Specialty Specific Guidance: An Orthopedic Surgeon's Guide to Using GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Patients who are Obese or Overweight to Optimize Joint Health and Surgical Outcomes

PROGRAM PARTNERS
This activity is jointly provided by Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical, the Obesity Medicine Association and RealCME

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT
This activity is supported by an educational grant from Novo Nordisk

Release Date: January 9, 2026

Expiration Date:  September 9, 2026

STATEMENT OF NEED

Obesity significantly impacts orthopedic health and surgical outcomes, with patients experiencing worse results following procedures such as total hip and knee arthroplasty. Weight loss interventions, including GLP-1 RAs, represent valuable tools for managing orthopedic patients with obesity. Historically, bariatric surgery was the primary weight loss option for morbidly obese patients before total joint arthroplasty, but GLP-1 RAs now offer an effective non-surgical alternative, with potential anti-inflammatory and disease-modifying effects for conditions like osteoarthritis.

Despite these benefits, significant knowledge and practice gaps exist among orthopedic specialists regarding GLP-1 RAs. While some orthopedists collaborate with obesity medicine specialists to help patients meet BMI cutoffs for surgery, many lack comprehensive understanding of these medications' mechanisms, benefits, and role in orthopedic care. Emerging research suggests GLP-1 drugs could substantially improve joint replacement outcomes, with ongoing studies exploring the role of semaglutide in spine lumbar fusions and other orthopedic surgeries. Knowledge and practice gaps among orthopedic specialists limit their ability to appropriately counsel patients and integrate these medications into comprehensive treatment plans.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

• UNDERSTAND the clinical benefits of GLP-1 receptor agonists for obesity and its related comorbidities.
• IDENTIFY and MANAGE the adverse event profiles associated with GLP-1 receptor agonists using evidence-based strategies.
• DEVELOP patient-centered strategies to educate patients about the benefits, risks, and expectations of GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy.
• IMPLEMENT follow-up protocols to monitor patient progress, manage side effects, and improve adherence to GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy.
• DESCRIBE how GLP-1 receptor agonists align with orthopedic-specific care priorities, such as joint health.
• INDIVIDUALIZE counseling and management approaches for GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy to address orthopedic-specific patient needs, such as  joint-related comorbidities.

TARGET AUDIENCE
Orthopedic Surgeons

FACULTY

CONTENT REVIEWER

Sara Velayati, MD, DABOM
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine (Endocrinology)
Montefiore Medical Center
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, NY

Sara Velayati, MD, has no relevant financial relationships with ACCME-defined ineligible companies during the past 24 months.

PLANNERS

Steven Haimowitz, MD
RealCME

Steven Haimowitz, MD, has no relevant financial relationships with ACCME-defined ineligible companies during the past 24 months.
 

Erin Ash, MD
RealCME

Erin Ash, MD, has no relevant financial relationships with ACCME-defined ineligible companies during the past 24 months.

DISCLOSURE OF FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
The “Policy on Identification, Mitigation, and Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships” of Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center requires that any individual in control of content, including faculty, participating in CME activities disclose to the audience all relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies* in the past 24 months. Any individual in control of content who refuses to disclose, or whose disclosed relationships prove to create a conflict of interest, will be recused.

Individuals with the absence of relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies will be disclosed to the audience.

All financial relationships of individuals in a position to control the content of this CME activity are identified and mitigated prior to the educational activity.

*The ACCME defines an ineligible company as those whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

 

PROVIDERSHIP
This educational activity is jointly provided by Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center, the Obesity Medicine Association and RealCME.  

ACCREDITATION STATEMENT

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center and RealCME, LLC. Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

CREDIT DESIGNATION STATEMENT
Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center designates this other/blended activity for a maximum of 4.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
 

Other Credits

American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

American Academy of Nurse Practitioners National Certification Program accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

American Academy of Physician Assistants (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.


American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Program

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 4.75 Medical Knowledge MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME credits claimed for the activity. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.
 

DISCLOSURE OF UNLABELED USE
This activity may or may not discuss investigational, unapproved, or off-label use of drugs. Participants are advised to consult prescribing information for any products discussed. The information provided in this CME activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical judgment of a clinician relative to diagnostic and treatment options for a specific patient’s medical condition.
 

DISCLAIMER
The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center, RealCME, and Takeda. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.
 

METHOD OF PARTICIPATION/INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO RECEIVE CREDIT

Estimated time to complete this activity: 4.75 hours

To obtain credit, a score of 70% or better on the Final Assessment is required. This activity is offered at no cost to participants. Please proceed with the activity until you have successfully completed this curriculum, answered all test questions, completed the Final Assessment, Post Group Assessment, and evaluation, and have received a digital copy of your credit certificate.

• Baseline/Final Assessments: 30 minutes each for a total of up to 1.00 hour of CME
• Three (3) Self-Study Modules: 15 minutes each for a total of up to 0.75 hours of CME
• Two (2) Live Group Discussions: 45 minutes each for a total of up to 1.50 hour of CME
• Two (2) Group Challenges: 30 minutes each for a total of up to 1.00 hour of CME
• Action Plan development: 30 minutes for a total of 0.50 hours of CME

If you are seeking credit, you must complete the assessment and evaluation at the conclusion of the activity. Your certificate can be printed immediately.

PRIVACY STATEMENT
Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center, Center for Continuing Professional Development (Einstein-Montefiore) protects the privacy of personal and other information regarding participants and education collaborators. Einstein-Montefiore will not release personally identifiable information to a third party without the individual’s consent, except such information as is required for reporting to the ACCME. Einstein-Montefiore maintains physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards that comply with federal regulations to protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of information collected from you.

COLLECTION AND USE OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
The submission of certain personally identifiable information is necessary to award and track the credits participants may earn after completing an activity. Required items include first name, last name, middle initial, degree, email address, address and phone number. These items are necessary. Participants are also required to complete an evaluation of each activity. All evaluative information submitted is collected, retained, and used by Einstein-Montefiore to continuously improve the learning experience. Einstein-Montefiore will not transfer, sell, or share personal information with outside parties or otherwise disclose personal information unless required to in a legal process. Einstein-Montefiore will retain your personal data only for the period necessary to accomplish the stated purposes and to comply with applicable laws.

CONTACT INFORMATION
For questions regarding CME credit, contact Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center at cme@montefiore.org.

For technical questions related to this activity, please contact support@gathered.com.