The Breakdown of the Patient-Physician Relationship: and Its Role in Medical Child Abuse

Wilmington, DE US
April 22, 2025

Medical child abuse (also known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy, caregiver-fabricated illness in a child or factitious disorder by proxy) can be very difficult to diagnose. It is a rare form of abuse involving the persistent fabrication, falsification or induction of physical or mental illness in a child by an adult, leading to unnecessary and potentially harmful medical investigations and/or treatment. Common conditions and symptoms that caregivers create in instances of medical child abuse include failure to thrive, allergies, asthma, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and infections.

Today's guest lecturer is James Metz, MD a pediatric hospitalist, head of the Child Protection Team at the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital and an assistant professor at the Robert Larner MD College of Medicine at The University of Vermont. He specializes in child abuse medicine and child protection and prevention. 

Target Audience

Physicians, Advanced Practice Providers, Nurses, Social Workers, Law Enforcement, Legal Professionals.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity participants will be able to:

  • Describe how MCA takes root and is perpetuated.
  • Discuss a systematic approach to unravelling cases of MCA.

Practice Change: Provide clearer documentation of caregiver complaints and observations in notes.

Contact Information:

Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 AAPA Category I CME

    Nemours Children’s Health has been authorized by the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria.  This activity is designated for a maximum of 1.00 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Physician Associates should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

    • 1.00 Child Abuse
  • 1.00 MOC ABS – Surgery
    Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME requirements of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit.
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    In support of improving patient care, Nemours Children’s Health 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.

    Nemours Children’s Health designates this activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

    • 1.00 Child Abuse
  • 1.00 ANCC Nursing Contact Hour

    In support of improving patient care, Nemours Children’s Health 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.

    Nemours Children’s Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.00 contact hours for nurses. Nurses should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

    • 1.00 Child Abuse
  • 1.00 ASWB Approved Continuing Education (ACE) Credits
    As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Nemours Children’s Health is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 1.00 general continuing education credits.
  • 1.00 Continuing Education
    This activity is designated for 1.00 continuing education credits.
  • 1.00 Nursing Contact Hour – Florida Board of Nursing

    Provider approved by the Florida Board of Registered Nursing. Provider number # 50-1428.

    This activity is designated for 1.00 contact hours.

Course opens: 
03/01/2025
Course expires: 
05/31/2025
Event starts: 
04/22/2025 - 12:00pm EDT
Event ends: 
04/22/2025 - 1:00pm EDT
Cost:
$0.00
Part of: 
Child Abuse Prevention Month Lecture Series 2025
Add to calendar: 
Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware - 3rd Floor Lecture Hall
1600 Rockland Rd
Wilmington, DE 19803
United States
Microsoft Teams Link
  • Please park in the Visitor Parking lot.
  • Enter through the Atrium entrance to pass through security. 
  • Wear your organization ID badge for access to Nemours Children's Hospital.
  • You will be directed to the third floor lecture hall.

The Microsoft Teams link to access the lecture virtually is located on the Register Tab.

Speaker(s)

James Metz, MD MPH

has no relevant financial relationships to disclose at this time.
Disclosure link: 
Nemours Children's Health Disclosure Policy
In support of improving patient care, Nemours Children’s Health 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.

Physicians

Nemours Children’s Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurses

Nemours Children’s Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.00 contact hours for nurses. Nurses should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. 

Nemours Children’s Health is accredited by the Florida Board of Nursing to provide nursing continuing education: Provider #50-1428. This course is approved activity for 1.0 contact hours. 

To earn nursing contact hours for this activity, please attend the entire presentation and then complete the online evaluation, which will be distributed via email following the presentation.

Physician Associates

Nemours Children’s Health has been authorized by the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria.  This activity is designated for a maximum of 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Physician Associates should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

Social Workers 

As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Nemours Children’s Health is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive a maximum of 1.0 general continuing education credits. 

Other Professions

A certificate of participation will be provided to other health care professionals requesting credits. Please check with your accreditation board to make sure they accept AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. 

Below are the credit types available to you per your professional designation.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 AAPA Category I CME

    Nemours Children’s Health has been authorized by the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria.  This activity is designated for a maximum of 1.00 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Physician Associates should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

    • 1.00 Child Abuse
  • 1.00 MOC ABS – Surgery
    Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME requirements of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit.
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

    In support of improving patient care, Nemours Children’s Health 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.

    Nemours Children’s Health designates this activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

    • 1.00 Child Abuse
  • 1.00 ANCC Nursing Contact Hour

    In support of improving patient care, Nemours Children’s Health 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.

    Nemours Children’s Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.00 contact hours for nurses. Nurses should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

    • 1.00 Child Abuse
  • 1.00 ASWB Approved Continuing Education (ACE) Credits
    As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Nemours Children’s Health is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 1.00 general continuing education credits.
  • 1.00 Continuing Education
    This activity is designated for 1.00 continuing education credits.
  • 1.00 Nursing Contact Hour – Florida Board of Nursing

    Provider approved by the Florida Board of Registered Nursing. Provider number # 50-1428.

    This activity is designated for 1.00 contact hours.

Price

Cost:
$0.00
Please login or register to take this course.

Non-Nemours Associate In-Person attendees: pre-registration is required to help streamline security protocols.

Virtual attendees: click GET STARTED to access the Microsoft Teams Link.

Required Hardware/software

If joining the lecture virtually: Be sure to download the Microsoft Teams app before the day of the conference.  Best viewing if using Google Chrome as a browser.