Assess APP competence

Although the goals of competency assessment are the same for advanced practice professionals (APP) and physicians, the way in which the medical staff goes about it may differ. The medical staff should work with APPs to develop the process, which may include defining specific quality indicators and deciding how to collect data on an ongoing basis.

If it is difficult or impossible to gather patient records showing that the APP participated in patient care, then the MSP may reach out to the APP and request a list of patient records in which the APP was involved. For organizations that are still challenged with attributing care to the APP, it is helpful to both parties if the APP is notified ahead of time of the need to keep a list of activity for ongoing review.

Once that list has been provided, a random number of records can be pulled and retrospectively reviewed by a peer or a physician. When assessing the competence of APPs, it is also valuable to obtain an evaluation from the employing or supervising physician if applicable. MSPs should provide the individual with education regarding the form’s purpose and content. An evaluation from a relevant hospital staff member who has routinely observed the practice of the APP should be obtained to make sure that the practitioner is adhering to hospital policies and procedures and codes of conduct. An operating room supervisor could provide an evaluation of a PA who has first assistant duties, as could an anesthesiologist.

Other methods to gather data include obtaining peer recommendations, evaluating patient and staff complaints, and reviewing incident reports involving APPs.

Source: News & Analysis