SOURCE: Medical Directions, Inc.
Tuesday October 18, 1999, 1:25 pm (EST)

TUCSON, Ariz., Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Medical Directions Inc., in partnership with Blue Shield of California, announces the release of a two-hour continuing medical education program on the management of domestic violence. The program is now available to all health professionals at Medical Directions' CME Web site, The Virtual Lecture Hall ® (www.vlh.com).

Timed to coincide with October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the program, which is sponsored by the American Academy of Family Physicians, was developed in coordination with a number of national domestic violence organizations. It uses a problem-solving approach to help physicians recognize, document and deal with the difficult issues posed by domestic violence. It also offers links and downloadable resources that physicians can use in their practices.

The program's development was partially funded by Blue Shield of California, which has made a strong commitment to helping victims of domestic violence in the workplace. Commenting on it, Al Martin, MD, Medical Director for Blue Shield of California stated, "This is a terrific program. We are delighted to be associated with it and hope that every physician will take advantage of this new approach to CME."

To encourage physicians to use this important program, "The Current Management of Domestic Violence," Medical Directions will not charge for CME credit during the program's first month. After November 20 there will be a small $15 fee for CME credit. Physicians who are members of Blue Shield of California's provider network can also access the program via Blue Shield's Provider Connection Web site. Blue Shield provides free online CME credit to its 46,000 physicians via the Provider Connection.

Founded in 1995, Medical Directions, Inc. is a privately held company located in Tucson, Arizona that specializes in interactive education programs for health professionals. The Company provides its physician CME via its Internet site, www.vlh.com, and via HMO and Internet medical portals, such as Physicians' Online. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.md-inc.com.

Blue Shield of California, an independent member of the Blue Shield Association, is one of the state's leading health care companies, with 2.1 million HMO and PPO members and $2.6 billion in annual revenue. The not-for-profit health plan was founded in San Francisco in 1939 as the nation's first medical service prepayment plan.

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