Ensuring Safe Practice by Late Career Physicians: Institutional Policies and Implementation Experiences.

Area of Science:

• Medical professionalism
• Healthcare policy
• Physician performance

Background:

• Late career physicians (LCPs) may pose risks to patient safety.
• Healthcare organizations (HCOs) implement LCP policies for oversight.
• Little is known about the content and implementation of these policies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize key features of LCP policies.
• To understand medical leaders' perspectives on LCP policy development and implementation.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-methods study.
• Content analysis of LCP policies from 29 U.S. HCOs.
• Key informant interviews with 21 physician leaders.

Main Results:

• Policies share commonalities like mandatory screening around age 70 and a focus on patient safety.
• Significant variation exists in testing, funding, and post-screening processes.
• Leaders reported preemptive retirements and emphasized the need for physician buy-in.

Conclusions:

• Institutional leaders view LCP policies as successful.
• Policy variations and implementation experiences offer insights for improving physician acceptance and program rigor.