Identifying and assessing needs for a specific activity
Sources of Information
Information on professional gaps can be obtained from within your division or department, from state and regional data, and/or from national data sources.
Local data will usually allow for a more targeted assessment of education needs, but might not always be available or accessible. State and regional data will be most appropriate for events that aim to educate physicians outside of UAB and within the extended physician community, and national data would be appropriate for events aimed at a national audience
Potential sources of information include:
| Local Sources | State\Regional Sources | National Sources | |
| Department/Division reports & statistics |
|
Institute for Healthcare Improvement | |
| Analysis of aggregate data available through i2b2 | Regionalized CDC health data | Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality | |
| Physician self-testing | ADPH Center for Health Statistics | National Guideline Clearinghouse | |
| Board exam data | Alabama public health statistics | Centers for Disease Control | |
| Individual faculty analysis | Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services | ||
| Participant feedback | National Committee on Quality Assurance | ||
| Provider surveys | The Joint Commission | ||
| Qualitative Data Analysis | CMS Hospital Comparison Data | ||
| Physician consortium for performance improvement |