This quality improvement exercise is designed to identify and implement areas for improvement based on the review of one’s own patient charts (Clinical Module) OR feedback from peers or patients via a questionnaire/survey (Feedback Module).

Number of units required:

• One PIP unit per three-year CC block

• Initial assessment of five patient charts.
  • Collect data from at least five of your own patient charts in a specific category (diagnosis, type of treatment, or treatment setting) obtained from your practice over the previous three-year period.
  • Compare the data from the five patient cases with published best practices, practice guidelines, or peer-based standards of care (e.g., hospital QI programs, standard practice guidelines published by specialty societies), using a minimum of four quality measures.
• Identify and implement improvement.
  • Based on results from chart reviews, develop and carry out a plan to improve effectiveness and/or efficiency of your medical practice.
  • If no areas for improvement are determined based on initial assessment, then maintenance of performance in medical practice should be reassessed in Step 3.
• Reassessment of five patient charts.
  • Within 24 months of initial assessment, collect data from another five of your own patient charts (may use same or different patients).
  • Use the same category and practice guidelines for the initial assessment and reassessment steps.

• Initial assessment of patient OR peer feedback.
  • Diplomates are required to choose ONE type of feedback: patient feedback from five patients*, peer feedback from five peers**, resident evaluation from five respondents, 360 degree evaluation from five respondents, institutional peer review from five respondents, supervisor evaluation from one supervisor.
• Identify and implement improvement.
  • Based on results from feedback, develop and carry out a plan to improve effectiveness and/or efficiency of your medical practice.
  • If no areas for improvement are determined based on initial assessment, then maintenance of performance in medical practice should be reassessed in Step 3.
• Reassessment of peer OR patient feedback.
  • Within 24 months of initial assessment, collect data from another set of same or different patients or peers.
  • Use the same feedback option for the initial assessment and reassessment steps.

*Patients can include those for which the diplomate supervises the care of another provider (e.g., resident).

**Peers include other professional healthcare staff such as, psychologists, social workers, physicians, counselors, and nurses.

Improvement in Medical Practice (PIP) Tools (Available to Members Only)
AACAP’s Lifelong Learning Committee has developed a series of checklists and surveys to help fulfill the PIP component of your CC requirements.