BOSTON, Mass. -- (May 28, 2003) -- Recognizing that the success of newly trained doctors depends on their ability to deliver the safest, most cost-effective patient care, Tufts Health Care Institute (THCI) today announced that it is convening a national conference to help residency training programs measure how well they are preparing physicians to function in an ever more demanding U.S. health care system.

The conference - "Competency Assessment: Forethought Not Afterthought" set for Sept. 10-12 in Boston - will focus on innovations and current practices in assessing four of six competency areas newly mandated by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), which is responsible for the accreditation of all residency training programs in the United States.

"Assessment has become the foundation for preparing new doctors and improving training programs," said THCI Senior Clinical Leader and Conference Director Dr. Robin Richman. "Our conference will help residency directors and graduate medical education faculty develop practical, effective approaches to define and assess these competencies and to engage all faculty in giving feedback and assessing learners."

The conference is expected to draw approximately 200 residency program directors, designated institutional officials, graduate medical education directors and faculty, and institutional and program administrators from across the country.

ACGME competencies to be addressed at the THCI conference include interpersonal skills and communication, professionalism, systems-based practice, and practice-based learning and improvement.

THCI Executive Director Rosalie Phillips said, "Doctors today must acquire a great deal of technical knowledge and also learn to function within a complex health care delivery system in order to provide the best possible patient care while enhancing patient safety and managing costs. This is changing the way their post-graduate training is conducted. As a result, graduate medical education faculty need new ways to assess how well residents are mastering these skills."

Keynoting the conference will be Dr. Deborah Powell, Dean of the University of Minnesota Medical School.

THCI has also convened a national committee of distinguished medical educators to help plan the September conference. Included are Dr. Patrick Alguire, American College of Physicians; Shepard N. Cohen, MPA, graduate medical education consultant; Dr. Robert Englander, Connecticut Children's Medical Center; Dr. Deborah DeMarco, UMass Medical Center; Dr. Timothy Flynn, University of Florida College of Medicine; Dr. Jeanne Heard, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; Dr. Deirdre Lynch, ACGME; Dr. Martha Regan-Smith, Dartmouth Medical School; and Dr. Deborah Simpson, Medical College of Wisconsin.

About Tufts Health Care Institute

Established in 1995, THCI, an independent, not-for-profit, educational organization, is a leading source for educational and training programs on systems-based practice and care management for the health professions. THCI provides practical teaching materials, including online learning resources, assessment instruments, and curriculum guides, and regularly conducts faculty development workshops. These activities support the training of clinicians to better meet the goals of professional groups, such as the ACGME and the ABMS (American Board of Medical Specialties).

Contact:
Rosemarie Curran
Tufts Health Care Institute
Tel: 617-636-1000
Email: Rosemarie_Curran@tufts-health.com

Peter Lowy
Business Communication Strategies
Tel: 781-326-9980
Email: lowy@bus-com.com