Dossier n. 168/2008 [Abstract] Continuing medical education in Emilia-Romagna Region (Italy). 2007 report

Still maintaining existing rules, 2007 represented the transition year between the first National program for continuing medical education (CME), concluded in 2006, and the new Program according to the trend lines defined in the State-Regions Agreement of August 1st, 2007.

Data in this Report on CME in the Emilia-Romagna Regional Health Service are provided from the Region, the regional Health Trusts, the Italian Drug Agency, the organizations of accredited private structures and professional associations. Data analysis involved the regional Commission for continuing medical education and for health and the Training services of Health Trusts.

The volume is organized in four sections:

• analysis and elaboration of data on users, training supply, accreditation procedures and training costs, also through a confrontation with previous years;
• trend and results of experimentations of new teaching methods for field training and e-learning;
• Health Trusts’ reports on the most meaningful aspects of local training in 2007;
• data obtained through the Italian Drug Agency on training events in Emilia-Romagna sponsored by drug companies.

Health professional involved with CME in 2007 in Emilia-Romagna were about 61,400, included employees at private structures and professionals operating within the public system.

Events accredited by the Region were more than 9,700, mainly organized by Health Trusts and only a few by Universities. This supply overcame by 50% the theoretical demand of CME training.

The majority were residential events, in particular courses and workshops; more than 70% of the events had technical-professional aims while only a little dealt with organizational-managerial or communicative-relational aspects.

In 2007 field training reached 18% of total accredited events. Since 2005 Health Trusts experimented this methodology, in particular by participating in improvement projects and training activities, and in some cases participating in audits, researches, commissions and committees. Nurses were mostly involved in these experiences, mainly in training activities. Field training events were often connected to or represented the practical side of theoretical training in class, thus underlining the need of an integrated training.

Between 2004 and 2008 98 e-learning projects were accredited (15 of them of blended learning), mainly based on the use of self-learning didactic materials with on line scientific and didactic support by teachers and tutors.

The fourth Chapter presents some considerations by Health Trusts on training activities realized in 2007. Some macro-goals - such as the improvement of healthcare and professional competence, multi-professional integration, clinical governance and risk, support to tutorship - are highlighted in many reports. Other recurring themes are the implementation of field training and e-learning and the collaboration with University.

The final Chapter deals with the presence of drug companies in continuing education, that results from the analysis of Emilia-Romagna data from the informative system of the Italian Drug Agency. In 2007, companies declared a € 15.2 million support to education events in the Region.