Performance Improvement CME

The ACCME requires that all CME be directly involved in improvement. Accredited CME providers are required to measure change (improvement) in physician competence, performance or patient outcomes. That doesn’t mean all CME providers have to offer learners education designed to meet the AMA format of PI-CME. But accredited providers are required to show a report of the evaluation data and information about changes in physician learners’ competence, performance and/or patient outcomes. What does this mean? It means CME providers are  expected to be integrally involved in health care quality improvement. I think the best way to learn how to be effective in this improvement environment is to adopt a “culture of improvement” in our own CME operations.   We should:

• adopt a systematic, sustainable, repeatable approach to  improvement;
• use the tools employed in  improvement initiatives to improve our own CME operations;
• expect that every person in our own CME operation is engaged in targeted improvement efforts;
• transform our overall CME programs into improvement focused operations.

We must learn these skills.  We must integrate a systematic, sustainable, repeatable approach to improvement in our CME operation. As a result of our own improvement efforts the CME operation will be well positioned to  become an effective strategic asset in many efforts designed to improve  health care delivery.

If you are interested in learning a approach you can use to acquire or hone your improvement skills contact me at ctlassoc@mindspring.com.