Physician Competency

ACGME, the national organization responsible for accreditation of graduate medical education programs, now requires medical residents to demonstrate competence in key areas such as communication skills, professionalism and patient care. OHSU, Oregon's largest teaching hospital, needed to introduce these competencies and the means for their assessment to residents and faculty.

Competency-based assessment is a new paradigm for healthcare. It is a new way to measure the success of a medical education system and the physicians it trains. The competency areas include six brand new fields of study in addition to the traditional study of medical skills. Because the types of skills, knowledge and attitudes being evaluated, and the method for evaluating them are new for both faculty and residents, it was important to provide educational opportunities for both teachers and students.

Planet created a web-based training program that introduced the skills, knowledge and attitudes of the competencies It included a new on-line self-assessment to help residents evaluate their performance, and an electronic journal to provide a reflective learning opportunity for residents and an opportunity for mentors to discuss their students' progress with them. An important component of the web-based training was a series of realistic scenarios illustrating the application of the competencies in practice.

A set of flexible, collaborative web-based learning tools allowed Planet's client to move from a process-based system to a competency-based education system and efficiently integrate the new requirements with existing curriculum so doctors who complete the training are well prepared to practice medicine in today's challenging and dynamic healthcare system.

"We had an exceptional experience with you and your colleagues. It has been an interesting, professional, and most enjoyable experience working with all of you. For those of us who have NO experience in this kind of effort, it was gratifying to have you guide us through the processes. You did that most competently (no pun intended) and I think our product will be most successful."

Don Girard, Associate Dean, Continuing and Graduate Medical Education