Data are reported suggesting that a change in practice patterns did occur subsequent to a continuing medical education program. Twenty-eight physicians took a course in pulmonary artery pressure monitoring and followup surveys indicate its objectives were met. (LBH)

Evidence of biasing in judgments made by physicians was examined via individual interviews and written questionnaires from 38 university surgeons. Each surgeon estimated six quantities: his own number of major procedures during the past year, that of his specialty, and that of the entire service, as well as similar estimates for in-hospital…

The author contends that the professional standards review organization (PSRO), a national effort to assure high quality medical care, offers a challenge and an opportunity to the academic medical center. He discusses potential impact on role definition, criteria development, continuing medical education, curriculum evaluation, and attitudinal and…

Reports a 4-year experience in teaching evaluation of care at a 3-year medical school. Topics are introduction of patient care evaluation, impact of professional standards review organization (PSRO) legislation on program design, results (evaluation of quality assurance program), and future teaching of quality-cost evaluation. (JT)

To determine the clinical and educational impact of an academic general internal medicine consultation service, the perioperative management of diabetes mellitus was examined. The findings indicate that consultative skills must be taught more effectively if medical consultations are to have maximal impact. (Author/LBH)

A three-year chart audit of a family-practice residency program measured physicians' compliance with recommendations of an adult immunization program. Physician compliance improved significantly for two vaccines when the chart was reorganized to highlight them but not for a third vaccine that was not highlighted. (MSE)

A study of the impact of family physicians' participation in continuing medical education activities on the quality of their professional services, as measured by an in-office audit of a random selection of charts, found no relationship between care and educational activities. (MSE)

The effect of a combined education and monitoring program on the use of gentamicin in a community hospital is described. The data support the tenet that the ways antibiotics are used can be altered by an education program. (Author/LBH)

The skills of interns in obtaining body fluids for analysis were observed after six months of a categorical internal medicine program. The results suggest that training in the proper technique in lumbar puncture in medical schools is inadequate. Recommendations for improvement are offered. (LBH)

Major dimensions of consumer perceptions were identified using factor analysis of survey data as follows: accessibility, availability of family doctors, and of hospitals/specialists, completeness of facilities, continuity of care, and physician conduct. Conduct was clearly the most important factor in general satisfaction. (Author/LBH)

The educational contribution of medical care evaluation (MCE) has been portrayed as the identification of physicians' educational needs. A study of 13 MCE committees was undertaken to document the learning that occurs in these committees and to discover the conditions affecting their educational value. (Author/MLW)

An undergraduate program of ambulatory care quality assurance is described which has been operational at the Rockford School of Medicine for three years. Focus is on involving students in peer review and related audit activities. Results of preliminary evaluation are reported and generalizations offered. (JT)

The experience gained by a medical school faculty in developing and piloting a course for undergraduate medical students in medical care evaluation at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) led to a similar effort for house staff. The preclinical and clinical courses developed are described and key factors in their success or failure…

Two groups of students at Michigan State University participated in an exercise intended to teach them the process of peer review. Neither group completed the exercise. The authors discuss the concerns of the students and make suggestions for implementing a program of peer review in undergraduate medical school curricula. (Editor/JT)

A modified Payne process and the JCAH intermediate outcome medical audits were applied to 6,980 cases in eight diagnostic categories within 22 hospitals, representing 1,321 attending physicians. The effects of item specificity, total number of items, outcome versus process indicators, and item weights on measurement characteristics of audit…