Learning to collaborate: a case study of performance improvement CME.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Continuing Medical Education
• Hypertension Management

Background:

• Performance Improvement Continuing Medical Education (PI CME) merges healthcare quality improvement (QI) with continuing medical education (CME).
• Integration of QI and CME is novel, requiring collaboration between diverse healthcare stakeholders.
• Traditional collaboration gaps exist between CME providers and QI stakeholders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a collaborative PI CME activity enhancing hypertension patient care.
• To identify lessons learned from a PI CME initiative in a primary care setting.

Main Methods:

• Observational case study design.
• Data collection via interviews, educational event observations, and learning log reviews.
• Focus on physician learning, CME credit, reimbursement, and case study data.

Main Results:

• Nine clinicians participated, achieving measurable practice improvements and contributing to systems change.
• Key factors for success included shared goals, multidisciplinary approach, sustained motivation, and adequate time.
• The activity demonstrated the value of collaboration in closing performance gaps.

Conclusions:

• PI CME necessitates significant collaboration between CME planners and QI stakeholders.
• Successful implementation requires alignment of goals and a supportive, multidisciplinary environment.
• This approach facilitates clinical practice change and improved patient care.