Using focus groups for strategic planning in a CME unit.
A skilled interviewer external to the university was approached to assist in the planning process. The same expert established the interview process and protocol. The schedule was developed through feedback and discussions with CME unit staff. The proposed questions and content were developed by the external expert with input from the CME unit. A total of three focus group sessions, with duration of 3 hours each, was determined to be adequate for data collection. The participants were selected from the CME unit's stakeholders. The process was conducted over a period of 6 months in 2007. The three groups consisted of the Advisory Committee on Continuing Medical Education including all the CME directors from the 22 university departments. The second group included the basic and clinical chairs from these departments, and the third group was a mix of community members, university administrators, and physicians who had used the services of the CME unit. The first group had 9 participants out of an invited 30, the second group had 7 participants out of 21, and the third group had 7 out of 20. A formal invitation via e mail and letter was sent to each participant member of the group seeking their participation. The invitation described the purpose, goals, and objectives for conducting these focus group sessions. All the groups received material to read before the sessions. The material included an update on the CME unit since its inception. The group sessions were taped and transcribed by an external agency, and collected data were forwarded to the external consultant for analysis and reporting.
The Journal of continuing education in the health professions