Principles of Quality Improvement Continuing Medical Education
Cervero RM, Gaines JK. Add ref The impact of CME on physician performance and patient health outcomes: an updated synthesis of systematic reviews. J Contin Educ Health Prof. 2015 Spring;35(2):131-8. doi: 10.1002/chp.21290. Review. PMID: 26115113
This article synthesized systematic review literature on CME effectiveness published since 2003. Five of eight studies concluded that 1) CME does improve physician performance and patient health outcomes; and 2) CME has a more reliably positive impact on physician performance than on patient health outcomes. It is important to note that this study went beyond asking whether CME had an impact on change in physician knowledge and competence. The focus was on higher-level educational effectiveness: improvements in physician performance (what the doctor actually does in clinical practice) and on patient health outcomes.
This article synthesized systematic review literature on CME effectiveness published since 2003. Five of eight studies concluded that 1) CME does improve physician performance and patient health outcomes; and 2) CME has a more reliably positive impact on physician performance than on patient health outcomes. It is important to note that this study went beyond asking whether CME had an impact on change in physician knowledge and competence. The focus was on higher-level educational effectiveness: improvements in physician performance (what the doctor actually does in clinical practice) and on patient health outcomes.
