CME: what's in it for patients? Alignment with outcomes

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Quality Improvement
• Patient Outcomes

Background:

• The North Mississippi Medical Center (NMMC) Continuing Medical Education (CME) program collaborated with NMMC Outcomes Managers and quality staff.
• Initiated six years prior, the project aimed to integrate CME activities with patient outcome improvement opportunities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To bridge the gap between identifying educational topic needs and achieving desired patient outcome results.
• To establish a focused process for topic selection that prioritizes enhancing patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A collaborative process was developed between the NMMC CME Program and Outcomes Leader.
• The CME Committee Chairman provided leadership to ensure identified needs were tied to measurable results.
• A systematic approach to topic selection was implemented to align CME with patient care improvements.

Main Results:

• The NMMC CME Program achieved exemplary status during its re-accreditation survey for successfully linking identified topic needs to intended results.
• Data indicates measurable improvements in patient outcomes when CME activities are integrated into quality improvement initiatives.

Conclusions:

• Linking Continuing Medical Education to patient outcomes highlights a commitment to provider education.
• Transparent measurement of CME's impact ensures accountability for both medical staff and the CME program.