A Novel Model for Continuing Medical Education Delivery to Community-Based Providers: Community-Based Integrated Care...

Area of Science:

• Mental Health Services
• Continuing Medical Education
• Primary Care Integration

Background:

• Collaborative Care (CoCM) is vital for improving population mental health.
• Psychiatric provider expertise is crucial for team-based primary care.
• Innovative continuing education models are needed for workforce development in CoCM.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the design, implementation, and outcomes of an interprofessional continuing education program.
• Targeted psychiatrists and advanced practice psychiatric providers in Washington state.
• Focused on enhancing skills for community-based integrated care.

Main Methods:

• A part-time fellowship program with four components: online didactics, live workshops, a quality improvement collaborative, and mentorship.
• Incorporated adult learning principles and active learning approaches.
• Evaluated through application data, attendance, session evaluations, and surveys at baseline, end, and 6 months post-fellowship.

Main Results:

• 60 graduates completed the fellowship, with 72% from shortage areas, supporting 186 care managers and 696 primary care providers.
• High attendance (79-90%) and positive ratings for didactic quality and relevance (mean 4.5/5).
• Graduates showed significant increases in confidence in clinical, systems-based, and quality improvement skills; 48% reviewed aggregate patient data quarterly post-fellowship, compared to 76% at baseline. At least eight new CoCM programs were launched in rural practices.

Conclusions:

• The Community-based Integrated Care Fellowship effectively meets lifelong learning needs for practicing psychiatric providers.
• Graduates demonstrated enhanced skills and initiated practice changes, including new CoCM programs.
• Flexible, employment-friendly continuing education models can scale workforce development for integrated care and other psychiatric subspecialties.