Work based assessment is best for appraisal of doctors

doi:10.1136/bmj.326.7392.0/e

Work based assessment is best for appraisal of doctors

Assessing clinical competence is becoming routine and is valuable and feasible. Norcini (p 753) explains what is meant bywork based assessment for doctors and presents a classificationscheme of current methods. Making judgments about the qualityof a doctor's performance involves an assessment of patients'outcomes, processes of care, and the volume of practice. Variousdata made available for clinical audit can be used to assist withappraisal of doctors. Norcini argues that work based assessmentsare better reflections of performance than those done under testconditions.