A 2012 survey by the American Hospital Association found that new residency graduates were deficient in many critical areas, including communication, teamwork and systems-based practice. [REF 1] In response, the ACGME created a new framework for curriculum and evaluation in GME called the Next Accreditation System (NAS). [REF 2] Included as part of the NAS is a detailed description of the Clinical Learning Environment with periodic review and feedback. The CLER program feedback was created to encourage hospitals and other educational sites to engage resident physicians in the learning process and, by this engagement, improve the quality and safety of the care that is provided. [REF 3]
From 2013 to 2014, the ACGME’s CLER Evaluation Committee, worked to develop the CLER Pathways to Excellence. It is designed with expectations that serve as pathways for each of the focus areas. The CLER Pathways include six focus areas: patient safety, health care quality, care transitions, supervision, well-being, and professionalism. There are multiple pathways in each of the focus areas, and each pathway includes key properties that can be used for assessment at the institutional level.
NGMC
NGMC is one of a handful of sponsoring institutions created after the ACGME developed its CLER Pathways to Excellence. These pathways are seen by the ACGME as essential to creating an optimal learning environment. As you read through this information, imagine how our clinical learning environment will prepare you for the practice of the twenty-first century.