title: Effect of a tailor-made continuous medical education program for primary care physicians on self-perception of physicians' roles and quality of care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A survey conducted among Israel Defense Force primary care physicians in 2001 revealed that they consider patients' needs more than they do organizational needs and that the education PCPs currently receive is inadequate. In 2003 the medical corps initiated a multi-format continuous medical education program aimed at improving skills in primary care medicine.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To measure and analyze the effect of the tailor-made CME program on PCPs' self-perception 3 years after its implementation and correlate it to clinical performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2006 a questionnaire was delivered to a representative sample of PCPs in the IDF. The questionnaire included items on demographic and professional background, statements on self-perception issues, and ranking of roles. We compared the follow-up survey (2006) to the results of the original study (2001) and correlated the survey results with clinical performance as measured through objective indicators.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 2006 follow-up survey PCPs scored higher on questions dealing with their perception of themselves as case managers (3.8 compared to 4.0 on the 2001 survey on a 5 point scale, P = 0.046), perceived quality of care and education (3.5 vs. 3.8, P = 0.06), and on questions dealing with organizational commitment (3.5 vs. 3.8, P = 0.01). PCPs received higher scores on clinical indicators in the later study (odds ratio 2.05, P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCPs in the IDF perceived themselves more as case managers as compared to the 2001 survey. A tailor-made CME program may have contributed to the improvement in skills and quality of care.
authors.affiliation: Medicine Branch, Surgeon's General Headquarters, Medical Corps, Israel Defense Forces, Israel.
authors.forename: Gilad
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Twig
authors.forename: Amnon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lahad
authors.forename: Ilan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kochba
authors.forename: Vered
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ezra
authors.forename: Dror
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mandel
authors.forename: Avi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shina
authors.forename: Yitshak
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kreiss
authors.forename: Eyal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zimlichman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D010819:Physician's Role; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires