The Journal of continuing education in the health professions
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J Contin Educ Health Prof · Jan 2014
Improving quality of care for diabetes through a maintenance of certification activity: family physicians' use of the chronic care model.
Improving the care of patients with diabetes is a health care priority. Through Part 4 of Maintenance of Certification for Family Physicians (MC-FP), American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) diplomates participate in quality improvement (QI) modules for diabetes. Our objective was to determine associations between physician characteristics and actions taken during Part 4 diabetes modules with quality of care outcomes. ⋯ Through MC-FP, family physicians improved the quality of care they delivered to diabetic patients. Improvement of care across nearly all measures, despite no consistent associations between processes of care or physician characteristics with improvement, suggests that participation in QI itself may lead to higher quality health care and this may be achieved through MC-FP.
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Medical practice and medical journals must adapt to a constantly changing environment, in which social media plays an ever-increasing role. Social media platforms such as Twitter can provide an opportunity to disseminate information in innovative ways. The concept of evidence-based tweeting is introduced, especially as "tweeting the meeting" continues to expand within medical conferences and other venues important for continuing education for health care providers. Future social media strategies for the journal are outlined.
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J Contin Educ Health Prof · Jan 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialEffectiveness of a mindfulness education program in primary health care professionals: a pragmatic controlled trial.
Burnout is a very prevalent type of stress among health professionals. It affects their well-being, performance, and attitude toward patients. This study assessed the effectiveness of a training program for primary health care professionals designed to reduce burnout and mood disturbance, increase empathy, and develop mindfulness. ⋯ Our study supports the use of mindfulness-based programs as part of continuing professional education to reduce and prevent burnout, promote positive attitudes among health professionals, strengthen patient-provider relationships, and enhance well-being.
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J Contin Educ Health Prof · Jan 2014
Multicenter StudyInnovative telementoring for pain management: project ECHO pain.
Project ECHO Pain, the innovative telementoring program for health professionals, was developed in 2009 at the University Of New Mexico Health Sciences Center to fill considerable gaps in pain management expertise. Substantive continuing education for clinicians who practice in rural and underserved communities convenes weekly by means of telehealth technology. Case-based learning, demonstrations, and didactics are incorporated into the interprofessional program that helps to improve pain management in the primary care setting. ⋯ Project ECHO Pain is a successful continuing professional development program. The telementoring model closes the large knowledge gap in pain education seen in primary care and other settings. Expertise is delivered by implementing effective, evidence-based, and work-based education for diverse health professionals. Project ECHO Pain serves as a model for interprofessional collaborative practice.
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J Contin Educ Health Prof · Jan 2014
On a wing and a prayer: an assessment of modularized crew resource management training for health care professionals.
Evidence suggests that Crew Resource Management (CRM), a form of team training, is beneficial. In CRM training, participants learn individual portable team skills such as communication and decision making through group discussion and activities. However, the usual 1-day course format is not always compatible with health care organizational routines. A modular training format, while theoretically sound, is untested for interprofessional team training. The aim of this study was to explore the potential for modularized CRM training to be delivered to a group of interprofessional learners. ⋯ CRM training when delivered in a modular format has positive outcomes. Following the training, some respondents overcame workplace barriers to attempt to change negative workplace behavior. This progress provides cautious optimism for the potential for modular CRM training to benefit groups of interprofessional health staff.