LCME Accreditation The Process The Challenges The Team

1
LCME AccreditationThe ProcessThe ChallengesThe
Team

• Karl E. Becker, MD, MBA
• Associate Dean for Accreditation

2
Purpose of Accreditation

• To ensure that a medical school meets prescribed
  standards
• To promote institutional self-evaluation and
  improvement
• The institutional self-study is central to the
  accreditation process.

3
General Steps in Accreditation

• FOUR QUESTIONS
• Has our institution clearly established its
  objectives?
• Are programs and resources organized to meet our
  objectives?
• Is our institution achieving its objectives?
• WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE?

4
Self-Study Process

• Medical school administrators, faculty and
  students
• Collect and review data about medical school and
  its educational programs
• Identify institutional strengths and issues
  requiring action based on Standards
• Define strategies to ensure that the strengths
  are maintained and any problems addressed

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Sequential Steps in the Process

• Completion of LCME medical education database by
  administrators, faculty, students
• Analysis of database by Institutional Self-Study
  Task Force committees
• Development of self-study reports by committees
  and synthesis of reports into summary report by
  steering committee
• Visit by LCME survey team and team report
• Action on accreditation by LCME

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The Database

• Organized according to Standards
• Completed by knowledgeable administrators,
  faculty, students
• Standards divided into 5 categories
• Institutional setting
• Educational program for the MD degree
• Medical students
• Faculty
• Educational resources

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Compliance with Standards

• Must LCME considers meeting the standard to be
  absolutely necessary for the achievement and
  maintenance of accreditation
• Should Indicates that compliance is expected
  unless there are extraordinary and justifiable
  circumstances that preclude full compliance

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Self-study Analysis

• Committees are responsible for conducting the
  self-study
• Each committee reviews information from database
  and other sources related to its specific charges
  and generates a report
• Steering committee synthesizes reports and
  prepares a summary report which lists strengths,
  weaknesses, and strategies for improvement

9
Student Participation

• Independent student review and summary document
• AAMC Graduation Questionnaire results
• Students serve on LCME Self-Study committees
• Students meet with survey team

10
LCME Site Visit

• LCME and survey team receive the self-study
  summary report, along with database
• LCME survey team visits medical school for 2-3
  days and prepares report on school
• Report includes lists of strengths, areas of
  partial or substantial noncompliance with
  standards
• LCME team reports summary findings orally to dean

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Assessment by Survey Team

• List of strengths (full compliance)
• Areas of partial or substantial noncompliance
• Areas in transition

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Faculty Participation

• Awareness of process
• Serve on task force and committees
• Input in self-study
• Meet with site visitors

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Draft Survey Report

• Within 1-2 months, LCME sends a draft report to
  dean for correction of any factual errors.
• Report includes information from database,
  self-study summary report, survey teams findings
  and conclusions.

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LCME Action on Accreditation

• Final report considered at next LCME meeting
• Decision on accreditation made for 8 years
• As condition of accreditation, LCME may
• Require dean to submit written progress reports
• Schedule a limited site visit
• Direct its Secretariat to conduct a visit
• Order a full survey before 8 years
• LCME may place a program on probation

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The LCME Team

• Committees as Teams of Leaders
• Unified sense of purpose
• Common goal to achieve accreditation
• Distinct timelines
• Team Support
• Supporting material
• Staff support
• Communication by email, fax, snail mail,
  conferencing and face-to-face meetings, possibly
  Microsoft Office Live Meeting format

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Organizational Structure
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LCME Web Site

• Url http//www2.kumc.edu/mesu/lcme/
• Linked sections for individual committees
• LCME standards database documents
• LCME guide to institutional self-study
• Timeline

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LCMEWhats in it for me?

• A catalyst for change
• Assurance of compliance with quality standards
• A comprehensive organizational analysis
• Validation of activities and outcomes
• Diagnosis of strengths and opportunities for
  improvement
• A well-respected medical school with which we are
  proud to be associated

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LCME Mantra

• We can always be better than we are
• With this LCME survey and site visit
• WE WILL BE BETTER THAN WE ARE
• WWBBTWA

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LCME Team

• You have volunteered to participate
• You are showing dedication and leadership
• You are all an essential part of the LCME
  Self-Study
• We cant succeed without you!
• We will succeed with you!
• THANK YOU!!