This Web-based continuing medical education course was designed by physician members of the TMA Subcommittee for Academic Physicians as a tool for assisting Texas physicians who are seeking a course to enhance their patient safety skills. It was developed to provide both insight into the problem and to suggest practices to reduce the incidence of errors in patient care. The course is also intended for non-CME use by physicians, medical students, resident physicians, and other health care professionals with an interest in improving patient safety.
The course is available for viewing at no cost, however, for physicians who would like to receive 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, instructions are shown below.
CME Release: July 2, 2007
CME Expiration: Feb. 15, 2010
The course is composed of six learning modules that cover key aspects of patient safety: medical errors, communications, evaluation and diagnosis, medications and treatment, procedures and supervision, and systems-based improvement and provider fatigue. A bibliography of source material and supplemental resources is also available from this Webpage at the link above.
The six modules can be taken independently although you should complete the module you are working on in one sitting. Each one should take no more than twenty minutes to complete. Each module will include a number of questions to see if you learned the concepts and practices presented. Don’t worry if you get any of them wrong. The module will explain the answers to you and give you a chance to correct your mistakes to be sure that you understand the message in each problem area. The objective is to improve patient safety.
Instructions for Obtaining 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for This Activity
1) View each of the six course modules in their entirety.
System requirements:
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Internet Explorer version 5.0 and higher,
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Firefox version 1.0 and higher, or
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Safari version 2.0 and higher.
2) Complete the online CME activity evaluation.
3) You will be directed to the TMA Store to submit the CME processing fee $25.
4) A CME transcript will be mailed to you.
5) You also have the option of completing a self-assessment on patient safety knowledge and practices.
Direct questions regarding the course to the TMA Department of Medical Education, 401 W. 15th St., Austin, TX 78701-1680, or (800) 880-1300, ext. 1375, or e-mail Marcia Collins.
Target Audience
Physicians of all specialties and practice settings, as well as other health care professionals involved in direct patient care.
Course Objectives
On completion of the activity, the participant should be able to: 1) Discuss the impact of patient safety and medical errors issues; 2) Communicate clearly to other members of the patient care team; 3) Determine how to improve the quality of their current record-keeping practices; and 4) Devise processes and systems to enhance patient safety.
Continuing Medical Education
The Texas Medical Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The TMA designates this educational activity for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Texas Medical Association designates this course for 2 hours in ethics and/or professional responsibility education.
For CME documentation purposes, the date of completion of this activity will be the date the completed CME documentation is received by TMA.
The TMA Subcommittee for Academic Physicians is composed of representatives from each of the 10 health-related institutions in the state. Development of this course was the first-ever collaboration on a project of this type by these institutions and it serves as a unique example of cooperation between multiple university systems. The subcommittee’s inspiration for this course was an appeal by Robert T. Gunby, Jr., MD, for a greater emphasis on patient safety during his tenure as TMA president in 2005/06. The subcommittee also wishes to recognize the pioneering work and editorial assistance of Kenneth I. Shine, MD, Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, The University of Texas System, and former president of the Institute of Medicine.
Institutions participating in development of the subcommittee’s course included:
- University of North Texas Health Science Center
- University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
- University of Texas Health Center at Tyler
- Texas A&M University Health Science Center
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
- Baylor College of Medicine
- University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
- University of Texas Medical School at Houston
- University of Texas Medical School at San Antonio
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
Editors
Don N. Peska, DO
Associate Professor of Surgery
Associate Dean for Educational Programs
University of North Texas Health Science Center
Fort Worth, Texas
Lisa R. Nash, DO
Assistant Professor of Family Medicine
Director, Family Practice Residency
University of Texas Medical Branch
Galveston, Texas
Project Coordinator
Marcia Collins, Director
Medical Education Department
Texas Medical Association
Associate Editors
Carlos R. Hamilton Jr., MD
Executive Vice President for External Affairs
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Nora A. Janjan, MD
Professor of Radiation Oncology
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Kevin W. Klein, MD
Professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Management
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
William J. Krippner Jr., MD
Professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Management
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Jeffrey L. Levin, MD, MSPH
Professor and Chair of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
University of Texas Health Center at Tyler
Jeana D. O’Brien, MD
Associate Professor of Internal Medicine
Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine
F. David Schneider, MD
Professor of Family and Community Medicine
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Kenneth I. Shine, MD
Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs
The University of Texas System
Carlos Vallbona, MD
Professor of Family and Community Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine
Surendra Kumar Varma, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine
Contributing Authors
Billie Abram, RHIT, CPHQ
University of Texas Health Center at Tyler
Steven Brown, MD
Chief Medical Officer
University of Texas Health Center at Tyler
Sandra Fly, RN, BS, CPHQ
Director of Quality Services
University of Texas Health Center at Tyler
Joan Hall
Quality Consultant
University of Texas Health Center at Tyler
Tony Hill, RN, MS, MBA, CHSP, CSP
University of Texas Health Center at Tyler
Jan Jowitt, RN, MSA
Administrative Director
Department of Family and Community Medicine
University of North Texas Health Science Center
Donna Seery
Quality Consultant
University of Texas Health Center at Tyler
Disclosure of Commercial Affiliations
Policies and standards of the American Medical Association and ACCME require that developers of continuing medical education programs disclose any relevant financial interests, relationships, or affiliations they have with commercial entities whose products, devices, or services may be referenced in the program. They also must disclose references to investigational or unlabeled uses of a product.
In accordance with the above policies, please note that the developers of this program, the CME reviewers, the planning committee, and TMA staff have nothing to disclose.
TMA hopes this course provides useful educational information and welcomes your suggestions regarding this or other educational materials you think TMA should make available to Texas physicians.
Last Published: 1/5/2010
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