Question: How do Doctors keep up to date on new info?
From: Lara D. of Cary, NC
Answer: Change is continuous in the world of medicine. New technologies, procedures, and medications have contributed to overall improvement in treatments and results. It is so important for physicians to keep up with these changes for the sake of their patients and their practices. You’ve probably been in a physician’s waiting room at a time when a drug rep is there. This is one way new medications are introduced to physicians. But physicians have numerous journals they may read such as the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association. There are also many journals devoted to particular specialties. Other opportunities to maintain competence and learn of new areas or changes in their fields include inservices, conferences, and videos. As a matter of fact, numerous licensing boards require that physicians meet a set number of Continuing Medical Education (CMEs) credits for license reregistration. Some state boards even mandate the contents of some of the credits, such as HIV/AIDS, End-of-Life Palliative Care, Ethics. Most licensing boards do random audits to monitor compliance. Ways to earn CME credits may include live events, written publications, audio, video, or other electronic methods. All CME options must be approved by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).
Ruthann Russo, PhD, JD, MPH, RHIT, is a healthcare expert with more than 20 years of experience working in and advising healthcare organizations.
