title: Family physicians enhance end-of-life care: evaluation of a new continuing medical education learning module in British Columbia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Practice Support Program (PSP) is an innovative peer-to-peer continuing medical education (CME) program that offers full-service family physicians/general practitioners (GPs) in British Columbia (BC), Canada, post-graduate training on a variety of topics. We present the evaluation findings from the PSP learning module on enhancing end-of-life (EOL) care within primary care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pen-and-paper surveys were administered to participants three times: at the beginning of the first training session (n = 608; 69.6 % response rate), at training completion (n = 381, 55.6 % response rate), and via a mail-out survey at 3-6 months following training completion (n = 109, 24.8 % response rate). Surveys asked GPs about current EOL-related practices and confidence in EOL-related skills. At end of training, respondents also provided ratings of satisfaction and perceptions of the module's impact on their practice and their EOL patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Satisfaction and impact were rated very highly by over 90 % of the GP respondents. Module participation increased the GPs' confidence on EOL-related communication and collaboration skills: e.g., initiating conversations about EOL care, developing an action plan for EOL care, communicating the patient's needs and wishes to other care providers, participating in collaborative care with home and community care nurses, and accessing and referring patients to EOL specialists in the community. Increased confidence was maintained at 3-6 months following completion of training.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The EOL learning module offered by the PSP to family physicians in BC is a successful and impactful CME accredited training module for enhancing end-of-life care in primary care settings.
authors.affiliation: Hollander Analytical Services Ltd, 300-895 Fort Street, Victoria, BC, Canada. helena@hollanderanalytical.com.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kadlec
authors.affiliation: Hollander Analytical Services Ltd, 300-895 Fort Street, Victoria, BC, Canada. marcus@hollanderanalytical.com.
authors.forename: Marcus J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hollander
authors.affiliation: Practice Support Program, Doctors of BC, 115 - 1665 W. Broadway, Vancouver, BC, V6J 5A4, Canada. dr.cathy.cll@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Clelland
authors.affiliation: Practice Support Program, Doctors of BC, 115 - 1665 W. Broadway, Vancouver, BC, V6J 5A4, Canada. LKallstrom@doctorsofbc.ca.
authors.forename: Liza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kallstrom
authors.affiliation: Hollander Analytical Services Ltd, 300-895 Fort Street, Victoria, BC, Canada. marcus@hollanderanalytical.com.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hollander
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001955:British Columbia; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D010379:Peer Group; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000193:education*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*