Backpage: Doctors with Attitudes

Accredited CME providers place a lot of value on understanding doctors' preferences and opinions. To better educate themselves, providers perform ongoing needs assessments to determine educational requirements, and actively survey clinicians for feedback on industry hot topics.

Between September and October 2005, CME surveyed attendees at various meetings to get their opinions on issues and trends facing the healthcare industry today. A survey was also conducted to determine the value of educational products.

Healthcare professionals were questioned about the Office of Inspector General (OIG) compliance program for pharmaceutical manufacturers, the implementation of outcomes measurement studies as part of CME, and the value of editorial supplements.

Outcomes measurement Sixty-three percent of psychiatrists agree that outcomes measurement studies should be an integral part of CME activities.

Fifty-two percent of psychiatrists view the implementation of pre-, post-, and follow-up evaluations as a beneficial opportunity to help shape CME.

OIG's compliance program Forty percent of psychiatrists and 28 percent of primary care physicians stated that they are aware of the compliance program.

Sixty-one percent of psychiatrists and 54 percent of primary care physicians believe that OIG's regulation will ensure the objectivity of CME activities supported by grants from the pharmaceutical industry.

Editorial supplements Seventy-four percent said they are more likely to read a supplement if the topic interests them, while 35 percent said they were most attracted by the supplements' authors.

Hot Topic

When asked if the information provided in supplements ever changed their diagnostic decisions, 65 percent of respondents said yes. Seventy-five percent said supplement information has changed their therapeutic approaches. And when asked if the information published helped them provide better treatment to their patients, 84 percent of respondents said yes.

Barbara Winkelman is vice president of marketing and multimedia for CME. She can be reached at barbara.winkelman@CMELLC.com