Introduced by the 2009 "Hospital, Patients, Health and Territories" law and adjusted by the 2016 law on the modernization of the healthcare system, the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) represents a fundamental obligation for all healthcare professionals. The purpose of this scheme is to maintain and update knowledge and skills, thereby improving the quality, safety and relevance of the care provided.
The triennial renewal of this essential training is part of the dynamics of the public health development policy in France, concerning various actors in the sector (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc.), practicing in private practice, within the public and private sectors, or as civil servants.
The management and financing of CPD are ensured by the National Agency for Continuing Professional Development (ANDPC), which ensures the scientific and pedagogical quality of the training. The National Professional Councils (CNP) define the priority orientations and pathways of CPD by specialty, enabling professionals to reduce medical risks, acquire new skills, and improve their practice, significantly contributing to the improvement of public health.
What is Continuing Professional Development (CPD)?
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) represents an organized and perpetual process aimed at preserving and refreshing the knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals. Initially established by the 2009 law "Hospital, Patients, Health, and Territories" and amended by the law on the modernization of the healthcare system in 2016, the objective of CPD is to optimize professional practices and the quality of care provided.
CPD is envisioned as an active and continuous process throughout one's career. It encourages healthcare professionals to take ownership of their training, integrating activities for analyzing, evaluating, and improving their practices, as well as managing associated risks. This approach encompasses various methods, including clinical audit, skills assessment, the clinical pathway method, and the review of the relevance of care, in order to determine the discrepancies between effective practices and recommendations based on the best available evidence.
CPD is organized around a three-year cycle, during which each healthcare stakeholder must certify their participation in continuing education, practice evaluation, and risk management sessions. The priority areas for these cycles are identified by the National Professional Councils (CNP) and the Ministry of Health, considering the specific priorities for each occupation and/or discipline, national health priorities, as well as conventional issues with the Health Insurance.
The scientific and pedagogical rigor of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) approaches is ensured by independent scientific committees and the High Council for CPD, which is responsible for the scientific and pedagogical supervision of the program. Healthcare professionals benefit from more than one online traceability tool for monitoring their CPD pathway and for certifying compliance with their obligations.
Specific CPD obligations for healthcare executives
Healthcare managers, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, or other health professions, are subject to specific obligations in terms of Continuing Professional Development (CPD). This requirement is both personal and spread over a three-year cycle, implying that each practitioner must prove their active participation in a CPD program during this period.
To fulfill this requirement, healthcare managers have two main avenues. They can either follow the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) pathway recommended by the National Professional Council (CNP) in their field or specialty, or demonstrate their investment in a CPD program that includes training, analysis and evaluation of practices, and risk management.
In this second option, the program must include at least two of these three categories of actions and include an action aligned with the priority orientations established by the Ministers of Health and the Armed Forces.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities must be carried out within CPD organizations or structures registered with the National Agency for Continuing Professional Development (ANDPC). These initiatives must comply with national guidelines and be based on methodologies approved by the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS).
Healthcare professionals are also required to document their CPD pathway using the electronic traceability system provided by the ANDPC.
Furthermore, healthcare managers are responsible for keeping their traceability document up to date and for transmitting a summary of the actions taken to the competent authority, whether it is the professional regulatory body for nurses or the employer for professions not subject to a professional regulatory body. This ensures compliance with CPD obligations and allows healthcare professionals to justify their continued commitment to improving their practice.
The role of managers in implementing CPD within teams
Healthcare managers occupy a central position in the implementation of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) within their teams. The management and coordination of care initiatives and continuing education are among their essential missions.
Develop a culture of continuous learning.
It is imperative for healthcare managers to foster and encourage a culture of continuous learning at the heart of their teams. This is equivalent to creating a climate where healthcare professionals feel motivated to continuously learn, evaluate, and improve their professional practices.
They are responsible for stimulating active participation in training and evaluation from each team member, while ensuring that knowledge and skills are regularly updated, in accordance with the latest advances and recommendations in the healthcare sector.
Identify the team's training needs
It is the responsibility of healthcare managers to precisely identify the training needs of their team. This includes analyzing the current skill level of healthcare professionals, recognizing gaps between current practices and evidence-based recommendations, and establishing appropriate training objectives.
These managers must ensure that training programs are faithfully adapted to the specific needs of the team and that they are in line with the guidelines given by the National Professional Councils (CNP) and health authorities.
Plan and monitor Continuing Professional Development within the team
The planning and meticulous monitoring of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) rests on the shoulders of healthcare managers within their unit. This means designing and deploying continuing education plans, organizing initiatives for evaluating and improving practices, while ensuring their traceability.
They must also monitor the quality and safety indicators of the care provided, conduct audits and periodic evaluations to assess the effectiveness of the CPD actions implemented, and readjust training plans accordingly.
How can healthcare managers meet their CPD obligations?
To effectively meet their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) obligations, healthcare managers must follow a structured pathway that is appropriate to their profession and specialty. Here are the fundamental steps to fulfill this requirement:
Choice of DPC Pathway
Healthcare managers have the option of selecting their CPD pathway through two main routes. The first option is to follow the CPD pathway suggested by their National Professional Council (CNP). Alternatively, they can demonstrate their active participation in a CPD approach that includes training, evaluation, and practice improvement actions, as well as risk management. This approach must include at least two of the three categories of actions and include at least one action aligned with the priority orientations determined by the Minister responsible for health.
Selection of CPD Actions
Specific CPD actions are to be carried out via CPD organizations or structures listed by the National Agency for Continuing Professional Development (ANDPC). These initiatives may include continuing education sequences, analyses and evaluations of professional practices, as well as risk management actions.
It is essential for healthcare managers to ensure that these actions are in line with national guidelines and comply with the methods approved by the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS).
Using the Traceability Document
It is the responsibility of each healthcare professional to ensure the traceability of their DPC pathway through an electronic traceability document provided by the ANDPC. This documentary tool is essential for tracing all actions taken during the three-year period and for justifying compliance with the DPC obligation to the professional bodies or employers.
Coordination with the Employer or Regulatory Bodies
Regarding salaried professionals, it is imperative that the selection of DPC actions be done in collaboration with their employer. Professional orders play a supervisory role in ensuring compliance with the periodic certification obligation by health professionals.
It is therefore vital to maintain regular communication with these entities to ensure compliance with the required obligations.
The benefits of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for healthcare managers and their teams
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) offers a plethora of notable advantages for healthcare managers and their teams, playing an essential role in the continuous improvement of the quality and safety of care.
Improvement of Skills and Knowledge
One of the main benefits of CPD lies in thecontinuous improvement of healthcare professionals' skills and knowledge. Through constant participation in training courses and regular assessments, healthcare executives are able to keep abreast of the latest medical, technological and therapeutic advances, enabling them to provide higher quality care that is better adapted to patients' needs.
Professional Development
CPD also contributes significantly to the professional development of healthcare managers. By regularly engaging in training and evaluation activities, they can obtain recognized certifications, attesting to their dedication to improving their practices. This can positively influence their career development and professional reputation.
Improvement of Quality and Safety of Care
The impact of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) on improving the quality and safety of care is undeniable. The various CPD activities, including clinical audit, review of the relevance of care, and risk management, make it possible to detect and correct deviations in practice from the recommendations established on the best available evidence. This helps to minimize medical risks and increase patient satisfaction.
Cohesion and Collaboration Within the Team
CPD is also a vehicle for cohesion and collaboration within care teams. By often being carried out in groups, CPD activities encourage healthcare professionals to collaborate, share their experiences, and learn from each other. This collaborative approach strengthens communication and coordination among team members, which are fundamental elements for ensuring optimal patient care.
Funding and Coverage of Expenses
An additional benefit of CPD is the financial coverage of training costs. Healthcare professionals, whether self-employed or salaried, benefit from full coverage of the costs associated with CPD programs, which encourages them to become actively involved in these professional development opportunities without worrying about a possible loss of income.
Conclusion
In conclusion, engagement in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is essential for health managers, with the aim of optimizing the quality, safety, and relevance of care interventions. SafeTeam Academy, advocating for patient safety and quality of care, provides healthcare professionals with innovative and immersive training programs that focus on the development of non-technical skills and the consideration of human factors, fundamental elements in the prevention of medical errors and the improvement of care reliability.
