ABIM Foundation Focus – Fall 2014

Choosing Wisely^® in Medical Education

According to the CDC, one in three Americans is in a family that has difficulty paying medical-related bills, making medical costs one of the leading causes of bankruptcy in the United States. While physicians are routinely being asked to manage the utilization of expensive resources, traditional medical training offers few opportunities to learn how to deliver the highest quality care at the lowest possible cost. Ensuring that patients will have access to not just high quality but affordable care requires new approaches in the education and training of the next generation of physicians.

Teaching Value and Choosing Wisely Challenge

Costs of Care and the ABIM Foundation are launching the second annual Teaching Value and Choosing Wisely Challenge to help identify the most promising innovations and bright ideas for teaching high-value care and stewardship to medical trainees.

First launched in 2013, the Challenge seeks to advance stewardship in medical education by spotlighting projects that could be successfully implemented on a larger scale. Last year, more than 70 entries were submitted and six winners declared.

Open to medical students, residents, fellows and faculty, participants are asked to submit short abstracts that either describe a project they have already implemented or an idea for a project they believe could have promise.

Entries will be accepted through January 15, 2015. A panel of judges comprised of leaders in medical education will review the entries and winners will be announced in late April.

Medical Education Learning Network

Launching in January 2015, the ABIM Foundation will host a learning network open to anyone interested in advancing stewardship initiatives within the training environment. The network will convene residents, students and faculty across the country who are committed to improving health care delivery and will feature monthly spotlights on leadership strategies in medical education, as well as an online community to share ideas and foster collaboration. For more information on joining the learning network, contact Alison Brecher at abrecher@abim.org.

Henry Ford Physician Network’s Choosing Wisely Competition

Earlier this year, the Henry Ford Physician Network (HFPN) adopted the Choosing Wisely campaign to address overuse and improve the care the Network delivers to its patients as one of its top strategies. HFPN challenged its physicians to work together in teams and formulate plans to integrate one of the Choosing Wiselyrecommendations into their practice. Nearly 80% of HFPN’s 1,800 physicians participated, focusing on 126 recommendations. Underscoring the critical role of involving young physicians, three out of eight project finalists involved residents. Read more about the project and the winners.

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