Attitude and perception of doctors in Malta towards revalidation

Abstract

After triggering global interest, revalidation of physicians seems to be spreading across Europe. Consequently all the doctors across the continent may be duly asked to provide evidence of their competence (Murphy et al., 2012). Throughout the years, doctors' selfassessment has become questionable and thereby raising quite a few eyebrows. Both governments and the public have expressed the need for high quality care which is provided by competent doctors. Developing measures to assess doctor's performance is complicated and challenging. It is being argued that there is a need for revalidation schemes which are reliable, effective and which support reflective practice (Merkur & World Health Organization, 2008). However, it is not yet clear what impact the revalidation system will have on doctors' free movement within the European Union (Murphy et al., 2012). There is a growing pressure in some countries within the European Union to assure that practicing doctors are up- to- date with current practice and provide a high quality patient care. This pressure was driven by several factors among which is the accumulating evidence of medical errors. Moreover, the accelerated development in technology and knowledge poses doctors an ongoing challenge (Merkur & World Health Organization, 2008). Nevertheless, in the light of these ongoing advancements, doctors are being given support, encouraged or even required to participate in lifelong learning so that they would enhance their competence and keep abreast with what is happening in the field. This may take several forms like identifying relevant learning needs, improving knowledge and skills and assessing performance (Mladovsky, Merkur, Mossialos, & McKee, 2009). A review of some European countries, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia shows that there is a variety of methods to assure doctors' competence. The outcome of these approaches may lead to re-licensing or recertification (Southgate & Pringle, 1999). Revalidation is a comprehensive term that includes all the methods that are used for assuring that doctors are competent. It may comprise methods of assessing whether doctors are fit to practice or may stretch further to include interventions should doctors underperform (Merkur & World Health Organization, 2008). There are simple and more complex forms of re-certification. The simple forms of recertification may merely include engagement in Continuous Medical Education (CME) programs. Such programs would provide a variety of methods carefully designed to keep doctors aware of with what is happening in the medical field. In addition to CME, the wider model of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) focuses on the development of managerial, social and personal skills. More complex forms of re-certification may include other tools, for instance external evaluation, practice assessment and peer review (Merkur & World Health Organization, 2008). This study aims to explore the attitude and perception of doctors in Malta towards revalidation and their opinion regarding the introduction of such a program. Moreover, the study also purports to discover the doctors’ point of view about the potential benefits and problems it might have, as well as which method of doctors’ performance evaluation is most beneficial and feasible.