THE COSTS VERSUS THE PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF AN LCME INSTITUTIONAL SELF-STUDY

Purpose. To calculate the costs versus the perceived benefits of an in stitutional self-study done to satisfy the requirements of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education's (LCME's) accreditation process. Meth od. From postcard questionnaires, the authors determined the hours spe nt over 18 months from 1994 to 1996 on the institutional self-study by 131 self-study committee members and 64 database compilers at the Med ical College of Wisconsin. The committee members also rated the potent ial utility of the self-study process and the probability that the con cerns identified by their subcommittees would be addressed. Administra tive costs (self-study coordinating team's hours, supplies, and other expenses) were tracked using calendars and budget subaccount numbers. Personnel costs were calculated using salary data from the Association of American Medical Colleges and the College and Universities Personn el Administrators' survey. Results. Supplies and equipment for the sel f-study cost $12,158, and the personnel costs, based on an 81% respons e rate, were estimated at $207,384, for a total of $219,542. The parti cipants in the self-study rated the process as moderately useful, but believed that there was only a medium degree of probability that conce rns they had identified would be addressed. Conclusion. Considering th e costs of self study, the process might be more useful if attention w ere focused less on identifying concerns and more on an institution's demonstrated ability to successfully respond to problems.