title: Highly interactive multi-session programs impact physician behavior on hypertension management: outcomes of a new CME model.
abstract: There has been much discussion and study about the role of continuing medical education (CME) in improving patient care. The authors describe the processes used to develop and implement a series of live, half-day, highly interactive CME events that addressed knowledge, competency, and performance gaps in hypertension diagnosis and management in the primary care community and successfully changed physician behavior toward improved patient outcomes. Participation in an intensive, highly interactive, case-based didactic program was significantly associated with an increase in clinician knowledge and competency in diagnosing and managing patients with hypertension. Participation was also associated with a high likelihood for practice change and making guideline-driven and evidence-based decisions to positively impact patient care. A greater portion of participants were able to identify the appropriate blood pressure goal and select the most appropriate pharmacotherapy regimen for specific patients. Quality of education index indicated that participants were 52% more likely to practice guideline-driven and evidence-based medicine than those who did not participate in the CME activity.
authors.affiliation: Potomac Center for Medical Education, Columbia, MD 21046, USA. cdrexel@potomacme.org
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Drexel
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Merlo
authors.forename: Jan N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Basile
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Whitfield
authors.forename: Jay M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Brad
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pine
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sullivan
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003625:Data Collection; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents