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BALTIMORE, MD—February 12, 2014—Med-IQ is pleased to announce the publication of data that align with one of the major objectives of the National Quality Strategy: to provide measurable and improved healthcare delivered in environments that are more patient-centered, reliable, accessible, and safe.
The use of audit and feedback is a well-known method for improving clinical practice behavior. However, performance improvement (PI) continuing medical education (CME) as a formal educational process is relatively new, and its effects on patient outcomes are not well understood.
In an effort to evaluate the effect of PI CME on patient health, Med-IQ, an ACCME-accredited provider of CME, conducted an award-winning research study of its diabetes PI CME initiative, Performance Improvement Strategies: Diabetes Care. The results of the study were recently published in the January 2014 issue of Clinical Diabetes. This published manuscript represents Med-IQ's 22nd such publication in the areas of performance and quality improvement.
"We believe that focused, practical, and timely CME activities can be a central component of quality healthcare that can lead to improvements in patient outcomes,” said Sara C. Miller, MS, Assistant Director of Educational Strategy and Content at Med-IQ. "Our data published in Clinical Diabetes show significant improvements in key measures of patient health when clinicians participate in such activities. Additionally, our data show a relationship between improvements in patient outcomes and the intensity of the education their healthcare providers participated in, further supporting our belief in the importance of focused and carefully designed CME."
The Impact of Performance Improvement Strategies on the Clinical Care and Outcomes of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors:
Stephanie A. Stowell, MPhil
Howard B.A. Baum, MD
Carolyn A. Berry, PhD
Bianca R. Perri, MPH
Liza King, MPH
Tod Mijanovich, PhD
Stephanie Albert, MPA
Sara C. Miller, MS
The award-winning research study evaluated Med-IQ’s Diabetes PI CME activity, which launched in 2008 and was updated in 2009. The PI CME activity, developed in collaboration with The Endocrine Society, followed the American Medical Association (AMA) PI CME model and was designed to promote evidence-based care practices for clinicians who manage patients with type 2 diabetes. Results from the PI CME initiative demonstrated statistically significant changes in clinician behavior. However, despite this demonstrated change in provider behavior, the effect on outcomes at the patient level remained uncertain. The research study sought to answer 4 questions:
- To what extent did participants who completed all 3 stages of the PI activity achieve improvements in the health of their patients with type 2 diabetes?
- How did these improvements compare with improvements achieved by clinicians who participated in traditional CME-certified activities?
- How did patient improvements achieved by PI completers compare with improvements achieved by clinicians who completed the first 2 stages but did not participate in the final chart review stage (Stage C) of the PI process?
- Did PI completers differ from other clinicians in the provision of evidence-based care to patients with type 2 diabetes before participation in PI CME?
Overall results of the study showed:
- Statistically significant changes in key markers of patient health when clinicians completed the entire PI process
- A significant relationship between changes in patient outcomes and the intensity of the educational activity completed by the clinician
- Similar improvements in patient outcomes among those clinicians who completed the entire PI process compared to those who completed most of the initiative, but did not complete the final chart review following a period of improvement
- No important differences between the baseline clinical performance of those providers who completed the entirety of the PI process and those who did not
This cutting-edge study was awarded The Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions’ distinguished 2013 William Campbell Felch Award for Research in Continuing Education for the best completed research project in the CE arena (learn more).
Clinical Diabetes, an official journal of the American Diabetes Association, provides primary care providers and all clinicians involved in the care of people with diabetes with information on advances and state-of-the-art care for people with diabetes. Clinical Diabetes also serves as a forum for discussing diabetes-related problems in practice, medical-legal issues, case studies, digests of recent research, and patient education materials.
Access this article in the January 2014 issue of Clinical Diabetes.
This activity was supported by an educational grant from Sanofi-aventis U.S. Inc., A SANOFI COMPANY.* (*Note: commercial supporter name has changed since the time of grant approval.)
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About Med-IQ
Med-IQ, America's most respected provider of continuing medical education (CME), inspires healthcare professionals through award-winning activities that deliver sophisticated outcomes-based educational designs with measurable results in professional competence and performance. Med-IQ is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the California Board of Registered Nursing (CBRN), and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing medical education to physicians, nurses, and pharmacists, respectively.
Med-IQ, a leader in the development of performance improvement (PI) and quality improvement (QI) CME initiatives, has been recognized by the Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions for our excellence in CE research (William Campbell Felch Award 2013, 2011), educational collaborations (2013), outstanding CME outcomes assessment (2012), and exceptional leadership (Leadership Award 2013, President’s Award 2012). To learn more about Med-IQ, visit www.Med-IQ.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and connect with us on LinkedIn.
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