New program helps physicians improve patient care and meet new Maintenance of Certification requirement
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American Academy of Family Physicians Launches METRIC
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, January 17, 2005
Amanda Holt
American Academy of Family Physicians
(800) 274-2237, Ext. 5223
aholt@aafp.org
LEAWOOD, Kan. – The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) announced today the launch of Measuring, Evaluating and Translating Research Into Care (METRIC), an online quality improvement program. This new program is two-fold: it uses a new type of continuing medical education (CME) by giving physicians educational credit for improving the processes by which they give care to patients, and is designed to fulfill the American Board of Family Medicine’s (ABFM) new requirement for Maintenance of Certification for Family Physicians, Part IV.
The American Board of Medical Specialties introduced new requirements on its specialty boards for maintenance of certification, which is designed to continuously measure the ongoing competencies of physicians in every specialty. As a result, the ABFM must provide its diplomates with a way to meet the new requirements. The process will require successful completion of four components during a six-year cycle:
The American Board of Medical Specialties introduced new requirements on its specialty boards for maintenance of certification, which is designed to continuously measure the ongoing competencies of physicians in every specialty. As a result, the ABFM must provide its diplomates with a way to meet the new requirements. The process will require successful completion of four components during a six-year cycle:
- professionalism;
- self-assessment and lifelong learning;
- cognitive expertise; and
- performance in practice.
The METRIC program is designed to help AAFP members and nonmembers fulfill their performance in practice (Part IV) requirement.
The AAFP developed METRIC as a response to the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) call for the redesign of the American health care system, which requires a fundamental change in order to improve the quality of care. The METRIC program promotes an evidence-based physician’s practice and strengthening of clinical information systems as recommended in the IOM’s report, Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century.
The METRIC program consists of a series of quality improvement modules, focusing primarily on single disease conditions, beginning with two in 2005 and continuing with two per year thereafter. The first module, Diabetes: Improving Patient Care, is available starting today.
“METRIC goes far beyond traditional CME,” said Bruce Bagley, M.D., AAFP medical director of quality improvement. “It offers family physicians the opportunity to evaluate their practice, compare their work with their peers, and implement improvements that provide consistent quality patient care.”
About the Modules
Each module will include the following components:
The AAFP developed METRIC as a response to the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) call for the redesign of the American health care system, which requires a fundamental change in order to improve the quality of care. The METRIC program promotes an evidence-based physician’s practice and strengthening of clinical information systems as recommended in the IOM’s report, Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century.
The METRIC program consists of a series of quality improvement modules, focusing primarily on single disease conditions, beginning with two in 2005 and continuing with two per year thereafter. The first module, Diabetes: Improving Patient Care, is available starting today.
“METRIC goes far beyond traditional CME,” said Bruce Bagley, M.D., AAFP medical director of quality improvement. “It offers family physicians the opportunity to evaluate their practice, compare their work with their peers, and implement improvements that provide consistent quality patient care.”
About the Modules
Each module will include the following components:
- a practice assessment survey;
- a chart audit of 10 patient records on evidence-based performance measures, using an online data collection form;
- a feedback report comparing the participant’s survey results to peers and a baseline of their performance measurement data;
- an action plan, including education opportunities, interventions, tools and instruction for implementation;
- six months later a second chart audit of ten records on the same performance measures to determine if improvements have been made; and
- a final report of the baseline performance that compares measurement data before and after implementation of the action plan.
After this final step, the ABFM will be notified of a participant's succesful completion of Part IV and the participant will receive 20 CME credits.
Module Pricing
The modules will be available to AAFP members for $25 and to nonmembers for $50. Visit http://www.aafp.org/x29503.xml for more information.
Module Pricing
The modules will be available to AAFP members for $25 and to nonmembers for $50. Visit http://www.aafp.org/x29503.xml for more information.
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Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents 110,600 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the only medical society devoted solely to primary care.
Approximately one in four of all office visits are made to family physicians. That is 240 million office visits each year — nearly 87 million more than the next largest medical specialty. Today, family physicians provide more care for America’s underserved and rural populations than any other medical specialty. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on integrated care.
To learn more about the specialty of family medicine, the AAFP's positions on issues and clinical care, and for downloadable multi-media highlighting family medicine, visit www.aafp.org/media. For information about health care, health conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP’s award-winning consumer website, www.FamilyDoctor.org.
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