PHYSICIAN EDUCATION IN HYPERLIPIDEMIA MANAGEMENT - THE IMPACT ON COLLABORATION

Collaboration of health care professionals is likely beneficial in mod ifying patient behavior in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. The purpos e of this study was to determine whether limited instruction and demon stration of collaborative management of hyperlipidemia in a continuing medical education (CME) would change physicians' office practices, as determined 1 year later by questionnaire. Collaborative practice was defined as physicians working with other allied health care profession als as a team to increase patients' medication compliance and other be havioral outcomes. A 19-credit hour CME Lipid Disorders Training Progr am (LDTP) was offered emphasizing the collaborative approach to hyperl ipidemia patient management. Physicians (n = 196) were surveyed 1 year after LDTP. The response rate was 52.5%, nonrespondents were similar in locations. About 51% of respondents reported increased collaborativ e practice; of these respondents, 68% reported saving time, 78% report ed improved patient outcomes, 76% improved office efficiency, and 90% increased patient satisfaction. According to self-reporting by these p hysicians, increased collaboration practices after attending the LDTP course led to improved patient outcomes.