Celebrating success

Tuesday, September 01, 2015 12:23 PM

CPEP celebrates 25 years supporting physicians

by Beth Korinek, MPH

When questions arise regarding physicians’ clinical competence, education and remediation can often produce more value to society than mere sanctions. In 1986, this was the realization of the Colorado Foundation for Medical Care, which pulled together a multi-organization Consortium to explore the creation of a personalized education program for physicians.

The Consortium, consisting of several pillars of the Colorado health care community, including the Colorado Medical Society, came together for a common mission – to promote quality patient care and safety by enhancing the competence of physicians. In 1990, it was in that spirit of collaboration that CPEP, originally known as the Colorado Personalized Education Program for Physicians, was born. Twenty-five years later, what is now the Center for Personalized Education for Physicians continues to fulfill this mission as an independent non-profit organization with locations in Denver and Raleigh, N.C. 

CPEP, created as a response to pressing needs of the day, continues to grow, adapt, and lead as a vibrant member of the health care community. Many of the challenges of the 1980s – like the need to help physicians practice with safety and confidence – remain with us today, and CPEP has achieved national recognition as the gold standard in clinical competence assessment and personalized education plans. As the needs of the health care system, and health care professionals, evolve, CPEP is leading the way with new programs and services both locally and across the nation. Over the course of 25 years, CPEP has addressed the educational needs of just over 4,000 health care professionals nationally, almost 700 of whom live here in the Centennial State. 

Along with other key stakeholders in the Colorado community, CPEP has worked to create a legal environment that supports proactive voluntary agreements and confidentiality for its participants – making Colorado a state that supports its physicians and fosters a culture of continuous improvement. CPEP was a key player in the effort to create a unique reentry medical license in Colorado. CPEP has mobilized reentry physicians to address workforce shortages in communities nationally. Here in Colorado, CPEP’s Reentry to Clinical Practice Program (RCP) has worked with nearly 80 reentry candidates, a “rapid deployment force” of physicians bringing much-needed capacity to communities statewide where physician shortages are often critical.

Recognizing the special challenges facing physicians and other professionals in today’s health care environment, CPEP continues to develop new courses here in Denver to address them head-on. Prescribing Controlled Drugs: Critical Issues and Common Pitfalls© is being offered in collaboration with the Vanderbilt Center for Professional Health. This three-day course is intended for clinicians who wish to take proactive steps to improve their practice or have engaged in misprescribing activities. Another new seminar, Improving Inter-Professional Communications: Working Effectively in Medical Teams, is designed for professionals who require new perspectives on how they work with others and new skills to improve their interpersonal skills and enhance patient care.

As a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, CPEP could not perform these missions without the support of the community. Thanks to the on-going generosity of COPIC, CMS, numerous Colorado hospitals, and others, CPEP is able to offer a fee support program for Colorado participants, making CPEP services far more accessible to those in need. Over the years, more than 300 Colorado participants have received fee support worth $622,000.

As CPEP celebrates its past and present, it is at the same time prepared for the future, with new courses, new locations, and new relationships across the country. Of course, while CPEP serves the needs of a national audience, Colorado will always be “home,” striving to fulfill the original vision of its founders while working with today’s leaders across the state to address the needs of today and tomorrow.