The transformation of continuing medical education (CME) in the United States

Abstract

This article describes five major themes that inform and highlight the transformation of continuing medical education in the USA. Over the past decade, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and other national entities have voiced concern over the cost of health care, prevalence of medical errors, fragmentation of care, commercial influence, and competence of health professionals. The recommendations from these entities, as well as the work of other regulatory, professional, academic, and government organizations, have fostered discussion and development of strategies to address these challenges. The five themes in this paper reflect the changing expectations of multiple stakeholders engaged in health care. Each theme is grounded in educational, politico-economic priorities for health care in the USA. The themes include (1) a shift in expectation from simple attendance or a time-based metric (credit) to a measurement that infers competence in performance for successful continuing professional development (CPD); (2) an increased focus on interprofessional education to augment profession-specific continuing education; (3) the integration of CPD with quality improvement; (4) the expansion of CPD to address population and public health issues; and (5) identification and standardization of continuing education (CE) professional competencies. The CE profession plays an essential role in the transformation of the US CPD system for health professionals. Coordination of the five themes described in this paper will foster an improved, effective, and efficient health system that truly meets the needs of patients.

Application of Ethics for Providing Telemedicine Services and Information Technology

“…• email, • doctor-patient relationship, • data confidentiality and security, • informed consent, • patient's and family's satisfaction with telemedicine services (37,38). In fact, using technology has grown in the past decade in health-related domains especially tele-supervision and rehabilitation.…”

Identifying the needs for competency-based education in Europe: a needs assessment of cardiologists across 52 countries

“…Increasingly, other sets of skills and competencies, such as interpersonal skills and professionalism, are being recognised as inherent parts of the education and training of medical professionals [16,17]. …”

The Benefit of Continuing Professional Development for Continuing Pharmacy Education

“…Participants earn "points," including for participating in CME activities, and in other opportunities that earn credit via demonstrating involvement in the domains of medical knowledge, practice assessment, and patient safety/voice activities. [32][33][34][35][36] Activities such as participating in a journal club, precepting trainees, serving as a manuscript reviewer, and attending CME activities, are ways to earn "points." In addition, physicians must "re-board" by passing a certification exam in one's specialty every 10 years.…”

“…In addition, physicians must "re-board" by passing a certification exam in one's specialty every 10 years. 32,33 In the US, results of a five state CPD pharmacist pilot project were published in 2010. 35 Questions still remain, however, whether CPD adoption into CE should be required or optional for license renewal processes.…”