CEPRIME (Continuing Education and Peer Review in Internal Medicine): linking quality assurance with continuing medical education.

This was a pilot project intended to evaluate the practicalities of a new method of linking Peer Review with Continuing Medical Education for consultant physicians (internists). Peer Review of the physicians' reports to the referring general practitioners on each consultation. Sixteen physicians were enrolled for varying periods of time. They submitted from 12 to 454 cases for review (mean 94 cases) overall. One half of the cases attracted comment from the reviewers. The main themes of critical comments have been identified. Appropriate study courses based on the results of the review were developed for some of the participants. The latter were in general agreement that the CEPRIME system has potential to achieve its purpose; but it is obvious that certain modifications would improve the flow of material and the value of the exercise to the physicians.