The costs versus the perceived benefits of an LCME institutional self-study

To calculate the costs versus the perceived benefits of an institutional self-study done to satisfy the requirements of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education's (LCME's) accreditation process.

From postcard questionnaires, the authors determined the hours spent over 18 months from 1994 to 1996 on the institutional self-study by 131 self-study committee members and 64 database compilers at the Medical College of Wisconsin. The committee members also rated the potential utility of the self-study process and the probability that the concerns identified by their subcommittees would be addressed. Administrative costs (self-study coordinating team's hours, supplies, and other expenses) were tracked using calendars and budget subaccount numbers. Personnel costs were calculated using salary data from the Association of American Medical Colleges and the College and Universities Personnel Administrators' survey.

Supplies and equipment for the self-study cost $12,158, and the personnel costs, based on an 81% response rate, were estimated at $207,384, for a total of $219,542. The participants in the self-study rated the process as moderately useful, but believed that there was only a medium degree of probability that concerns they had identified would be addressed.

Considering the costs of self-study, the process might be more useful if attention were focused less on identifying concerns and more on an institution's demonstrated ability to successfully respond to problems.