ABQAURP News
Quality Conundrums
Lynn Helmer, MD, MBA, CHCQM ABQAURP Diplomate since 1998 • http://www.drdnj.com
The Term ‘Health Care’: A Quality Conundrum?
Healthy People 20201 includes “Create social and physical environments that promote good health for all” as one of the four overarching goals for the decade. The program’s agenda includes social determinants of health as a new topic area. The five social determinants of health are defined as: 1. economic stability, 2. education, 3. social and community context, 4. health and health care, and 5. neighborhood and built environment. This approach, newly mirrored in some ways by the World Health Organization, is a logical extension of George Engel’s biopsychosocial model of medicine, described over 30 years ago2.
Do these themes reflect a need to change the term health care to something else? Has the time come to reframe the importance of traditional health care providers in keeping, or making, the world a healthier place? Does including the social determinants of health as a global health priority imply that current medical, nursing, pharmacy, and other health provider education systems must include these areas, or that other types of service providers have a higher-impact role in a health world?
The year 2015 marks the first time that the admission tests for medical school have changed substantially in 20 years. The new tests will include psychology and sociology3 and integrated scenarios. These changes imply that a physician practicing in the new age will need new skills and the ability to think in different ways from prior generations. All health-related disciplines will probably evolve in this way.
Three questions: Will increasing recognition of the role of social determinants of health shift resources away from high technology to social issues as a higher value proposition? Will all patients value such shifts, or will the needs of some be met to the detriment of others? Will the new design of medical professionals be effective, or will more diffuse training adversely impact patient care because no one can know everything?
We live in interesting times. Let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water.
http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/social-determinants-health
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1466742/
http://www.kaptest.com/mcat/mcat-test/why-is-the-mcat-changing
Please send inquiries and comments to abqaurp@abqaurp.org; please include Quality Column in the subject line. We look forward to your participation in this column.
Health Care Quality and Management (HCQM) Certification
Best of luck to our 2015 HCQM exam candidates as they prepare to sit for this year’s exam!
ABQAURP is pleased to collaborate with the National Board of Medical Examiners® (NBME®) in
the administration of the HCQM certification exam. ABQAURP is dedicated to assuring a high-quality certification process with definable standards; the NBME involvement reinforces that dedication.
Together, we consult on the planning, development, analysis, and scoring of the certification exam,
bringing examinees an exam experience based on a vast array of knowledge and expertise.
Go Further with Sub-Specialty Certification and the New Physician Advisor Sub-Specialty Individuals who perform, or are involved in, any of the following activities have the opportunity to enhance
their existing clinical credentials by obtaining sub-specialty certification when successfully completing the HCQM exam (or any time after).
Additional certifications are available in the following categories:
- NEW! Physician Advisor (physicians only)
- Transitions of Care
- Managed Care
- Patient Safety / Risk Management
- Case Management
- Workers’ Compensation
The Health Care Quality and Management Certification and the Physician Advisor Sub-Specialty Certification are endorsed by the American College of Physician Advisors (ACPA). Visit www.acpadvisors.org.
“National Board of Medical Examiners®” and “NBME®” are registered trademarks of the National Board of Medical Examiners.
Prepare Now!
CORE BODY OF KNOWLEDGE ONLINE COURSE
ABQAURP’s HCQM Certification covers an immense scope of content and topics. To aid you in your preparation, the Core Body of Knowledge online course is designed to focus on key concepts and elements of HCQM. Utilize this tool to build upon your existing skills and knowledge and discover new content to enhance your experience in quality health care. Completing this course now will meet the educational requirements for the 2016 exam.
Please call Barbara Morris at (800) 998-6030, extension 116, or visit our website (www.abqaurp.org) for more information on certification and preparation.
DID YOU MISS OUR RECENT CONFERENCE?
New multimedia online CME course now available!
How are you preparing for the changes in health care coming later this year? We are pleased to introduce our new multimedia online course that explores ways to make your approach to this changing environment better! This course was recorded from our Annual Health Care Quality & Patient Safety
Conference and provides up-to-date content about today’s health care challenges.
High-Quality and Affordable Care through Accountability
Health care delivery is now a community responsibility with growing emphasis on population health improvement. Discover how to focus your efforts and pinpoint critical gaps in quality, safety, and customer service in a health system now based on accountable and cost-effective care!
Find this course, and our other online offerings, at www.abqaurp.org under the Education tab.