Credentialing & Privileging

Evaluating the medical staff's continuing medical education opportunities

Credentialing Resource Center Connection, November 20, 2008

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Anne R. Buss, CPMSM, CPCS, is a medical staff consultant based in Fayetteville, AR. This is her first column for the Credentialing and Privileging Advisor.

Dear credentialing colleague:

One of our medical staff office’s New Year resolutions for 2008 was deciding which continuing medical education (CME) programs the medical staff would participate in.

Recently, there have been changes in what many of us called continuing education (to which some medical staffs may link privileges). The days of a pharmaceutical representative providing lunch and a speaker to lecture on the latest drug for high blood pressure are becoming a thing of the past, thanks to limited evidence such lunches have an impact on the medical staff as a whole. The pediatrician, pathologist, and radiologist may attend, but they most likely lose interest with dessert. Often, practitioners attend because they’re required to—or receive CME credits as reward—rather then from a genuine commitment to education.

Providing opportunities for continuing medical education that meet the regulatory, professional, and educational needs of the physician learner presents a challenge to the CME provider. It is one thing to direct a member of your medical staff to take an on-line course in medical errors or domestic violence, perhaps one required by the state licensing board. But addressing the problems of hospital acquired infections in the SICU may require more emphasis on needs assessment and program outcome. Collaborating with quality management department will help medical staffs apply what they learn. The following are some questions to evaluate the outcome of the program:

  • How many people attended?
  • Did they like it?
  • Did individuals judge it as a learning experience?
  • Did they apply what they learned?
  • Did it improve patient health?

    Continuing medical education planning and learning models begin with needs assessment. Assessing physical performance gaps helps you understand your physicians’ learning needs. This assessment identifies objectives to guide you when choosing appropriate content, format, method, and media. A successful CME program is measured in terms of increase in knowledge, improvement in attitudes, and/or improvements in clinical performance.

    Remember, those who are afraid to ask are afraid to learn.

    All the best,
    Anne R. Buss, CPMSM, CPCS



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