Accreditation Report Research Articles

Long-Term Career Earnings in Academia Might Offset the Opportunity Cost of Full-Time PhD and Postdoctoral Education for Physical Therapists Who Hold a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree.

Rigorously trained physical therapy researchers are essential for the generation of knowledge that guides the profession. However, there is a current and projected dearth of physical therapy researchers capable of sustaining research programs in part due to perceived financial barriers associated with pursuit of a doctor of philosophy (PhD) degree, with and without postdoctoral training, following doctor of physical therapy (DPT) degree completion. This study aimed to evaluate the financial impact of PhD and postdoctoral training, including opportunity cost, years to break even, and long-term earnings. Clinical and academic salaries were obtained via the 2016 APTA Median Income of Physical Therapist Summary Report and 2019 CAPTE Annual Accreditation Report. Salaries were adjusted to total compensation to account for benefits and compared over a 30-year period starting after DPT education. Total compensations were also adjusted to the present value, placing greater weight on early career earnings due to inflation and potential investments. Relative to work as a clinical physical therapist, 4years of PhD training result in an earnings deficit of $264,854 rising to $357,065 after 2years of additional postdoctoral training. These deficits do not persist as evidenced by a clinical physical therapist career earning $449,372 less than a nonmajority scholarship academic career (DPT to PhD to academia pathway) and $698,704 less than a majority scholarship academic career (DPT to PhD to postdoctoral training to academia pathway) over a 30-year period. Greater long-term earnings for PhD careers persist when adjusting to present value. Although there is an initial opportunity cost of PhD and postdoctoral training represented by a relative earnings deficit, advanced research training results in greater long-term earnings. The findings of this study allow physical therapists interested in pursuing PhD and postdoctoral training to be better informed about the associated financial ramifications.

Korean Society of Nephrology hemodialysis unit accreditation report (2016-2020) and future directions.

BackgroundPatients receiving hemodialysis have various complications with a high mortality rate and require specialized treatment at an institution equipped with an appropriate workforce, equipment, and facilities. The Korean Society of Nephrology (KSN) is conducting hemodialysis unit accreditation to manage the quality of hemodialysis institutions, present standard treatment guidelines, and establish a network between regional medical institutions for the safe treatment of hemodialysis patients. This study aimed to summarize the previous accreditation results and discuss future directions.MethodsAfter the proposal of hemodialysis unit accreditation in 2009, pilot projects were undertaken for hemodialysis units and dialysis subspecialist training hospitals in the metropolitan area for 5 years. Since 2016, five hemodialysis unit accreditation projects have been conducted.ResultsThe cumulative number of participating units was 599, and the number of accredited units was 473 (average accreditation rate, 79.0%). The participating units consisted of clinics (58.6%), non-university hospitals (28.2%), and university hospitals (13.2%). Overall, 92.4% of university hospitals, 81.2% of clinics, and 68.0% of non-university hospitals were accredited. Over 5 years, new units were added annually to apply for accreditation, and the rate of previous participants applying for reaccreditation was high (77.7%). However, considering that the total number of member institutions of the KSN is 637, the number of units with valid accreditation as of 2020 was low (267 [41.9%]).ConclusionThe efforts of the KSN and its members, as well as institutional support from the government, are required for quality management of hemodialysis units through hemodialysis unit accreditation.

Systematic Guidelines for Medical Education Program Accreditation in Saudi Arabia

The accreditation either from national or international accrediting authority has always been a stressful process for medical schools particularly in preparing self-study report as this is not within the scope of medical practice. Moreover, literatures that provide guidance to medical schools and offer explanations and recommendations regarding the effective preparation of accreditation report are hard to find. In order to facilitate the process, mitigate the stress, and assist medical schools in a tiring process these twelve tips have been developed by the authors based on their extensive experiences in self-study process and program review. This focuses on providing guidance on accreditation processes and meeting the needs of accrediting authorities. We devised a methodical approach to assisting medical schools in obtaining accreditation from the local accreditation authority. Nonetheless, it is not a straightforward task, and it requires continuous efforts to first ascertain a good quality management system in the institute then initiate a plan for an accreditation. Thus, we write the guidelines, especially for those medical schools where they just kick off a plan to go an accreditation from either national or an international accreditation authority. These 12 tips are helpful in starting the plan and completing the method step-by-step without hurdles. The scope of this resource is within the framework of completion of self-study process, actionable improvement plans, and program effectiveness and governance structures. The example timeline will also assist you in following all tasks gradually.

Predictors of research productivity among physical therapy programs in the United States: an observational study

BackgroundThis study targeted the association of program characteristics of 203 Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs in the United States (US) reported by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) in their 2017 Annual Accreditation Report (AAR) with measures of core faculty research volume. The association of institutional, program, and faculty characteristics of an institution with core faculty research volume was investigated.MethodsThis observational study analyzed data provided in the AAR about program research volume. Predictor variables included institutional, program and faculty characteristics. Research volume was measured as a ratio of 1) number of peer-reviewed publications, 2) National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, and 3) faculty with grants, per number of core faculty. Research volume was stratified by quartiles and analyzed using logistic regression analyses. The highest 25% were analyzed against the lowest 75%.ResultsIn the multivariate logistic regression analyses, research Carnegie classification was positively associated with NIH funding (OR = 4.04; 95% CI = 1.92, 8.48) and number of peer reviewed publications (OR = 7.63; 95% CI = 3.39, 17.14). Square footage of research space was positively associated with number of peer reviewed publications (OR = 4.58; 95% CI = 2.08, 10.11). Private status was negatively associated with NIH funding (OR = 0.37; 95% CI = 0.17, 0.83) and faculty holding grants (OR = 0.38; 95% CI = 0.19, 0.76).ConclusionsThere is strong evidence that research culture (e.g., research Carnegie status and dedicated research space) is related to research productivity in DPT programs in the US. Private status was indicative of a non-research intensive environment, which may be reflective of a current trend of small, non-research based private institutions initiating DPT programs.

Are rankings and accreditation related? Examining the dynamics of higher education in Poland

PurposeThis paper aims to analyse the relationship between two measures of university quality, the outcome and other characteristics of a mandatory accreditation and the university position in the national ranking.Design/methodology/approachNatural language processing (NLP) models are used to calculate the sentiment indicators for 1,850 accreditation reports from the Polish Accreditation Agency. The sentiment indicators, accreditation frequency and outcomes for 203 HEIs are used in correlation analysis, automated linear regressions and quantile regressions with the university position in the Polish Perspektywy rankings as the outcome variable.FindingsHigh/low frequency of accreditation visits, excellent/poor accreditation outcomes and low/high frequency of negative inclination words in the accreditation report are followed by high/low university rankings. Quantile regressions reveal that these relationships vary with the quality of the university.Practical implicationsPublishers of university rankings may consider adding the accreditation features to the set of indicators used in such rankings. The machine learning methodology presented allows cross-country inconsistencies to be identified in the approaches used by accreditation agencies in Europe. The authors of the accreditation reports should be aware they can be mined by machine learning models and this should be considered when the reports are drafted.Originality/valueThis is a novel application of NLP models for analysing the relationship between the accreditation and rankings of universities. In other research, the author has applied NLP models to test whether quality assurance agency (QAA) accreditation in the UK can predict how students rate their university on whatuni.com website.

Hospitals accreditation status in Indonesia: associated with hospital characteristics, market competition intensity, and hospital performance?

BackgroundHospital accreditation is widely adopted as a visible measure of an organisation’s quality and safety management standards compliance. There is still inconsistent evidence regarding the influence of hospital accreditation on hospital performance, with limited studies in developing countries. This study aims to explore the association of hospital characteristics and market competition with hospital accreditation status and to investigate whether accreditation status differentiate hospital performance.MethodsEast Java Province, with a total 346 hospitals was selected for this study. Hospital characteristics (size, specialty, ownership) and performance indicator (bed occupancy rate, turnover interval, average length of stay, gross mortality rate, and net mortality rate) were retrieved from national hospital database while hospital accreditation status were recorded based on hospital accreditation report. Market density, Herfindahl-Hirschman index (HHI), and hospitals relative size as competition indicators were calculated based on the provincial statistical report data. Logistic regression, Mann-Whitney U-test, and one sample t-test were used to analyse the data.ResultsA total of 217 (62.7%) hospitals were accredited. Hospital size and ownership were significantly associated with of accreditation status. When compared to government-owned, hospital managed by ministry of defense (B = 1.705, p = 0.012) has higher probability to be accredited. Though not statistically significant, accredited hospitals had higher utility and efficiency indicators, as well as higher mortality.ConclusionsHospital with higher size and managed by government have higher probability to be accredited independent to its specialty and the intensity of market competition. Higher utility and mortality in accredited hospitals needs further investigation.

Impact of funding allocation on physical therapist research productivity and DPT student graduates: an analysis using panel data.

Financial support for institutional research is relatively stagnant, and thus institutions are likely to seek tuition revenue to offset the costs of research and teaching. It is likely that this has led to increases in tuition driven activities, and thus has limited research activities of academic physical therapy (PT) programs in particular. However, the relationships between sources of program revenue, the number of graduates from PT programs, and the scholarly production of PT faculty have not been studied. The purpose of this paper is to study the effects of types of funding-including research grants and tuition-on the number of physical therapy graduates from each program and the research productivity of physical therapy faculty. Data from 2008 to 2016 were utilized to perform a fixed-effects panel analysis. Panel models created predictions for the number of graduates and the number of peer-reviewed publications for programs from grant funding, annual tuition, and number of funded faculty members. In any given program, a 1% increase in annual tuition is associated with 24% more graduates per year, but a single percentage point increase in the mix of NIH grant funding over other funding types is associated with 8% fewer graduates, all else equal. For every 1% increase in annual tuition, a program can expect to have 41% fewer publications per year. Those institutions with higher numbers of graduates tended to have higher numbers of publications. Higher annual program tuition appears to be associated with both higher numbers of physical therapy graduates and lower levels of publications. Different funding sources have variable effects on degree production and scholarly productivity. Data are self-reported by programs on the Annual Accreditation Report, and cause and effect cannot be established through observational design.

Changing Profile of the Physical Therapy Professoriate—Are We Meeting CAPTE's Expectations?

Background and Purpose. Changing accreditation standards continue to place greater demands on physical therapy (PT) faculty. The 2016 accreditation standards implemented by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) include requirements for all core faculty to possess a doctoral degree and show evidence of scholarly productivity. Program directors have additional requirements as does the collective faculty, which must include at least 50% with postprofessional, academic doctorates. This study describes the changing characteristics of the PT professoriate and determines how well it meets CAPTE's current expectations. Participants. The sample included 2,602 full-time core faculty members from 225 educational institutions. Methods. Data from the 2015 Annual Accreditation Report were extracted by staff in the Department of Accreditation; personal and program identifiers were removed. Variables included age, sex, highest earned degree, clinical specialization, faculty role, academic rank, years of academic experience, institutional affiliation, workload distribution, level of scholarly productivity, faculty rank, and institutional classification. Descriptive data were analyzed for the total sample, and chi-square analyses compared differences in scholarly productivity based on sex, faculty roles, academic rank, highest earned degree, and institutional affiliation. A cluster analysis was used to determine the characteristics shared by faculty whose scholarship reflected a high vs. low level of productivity as measured by the number of disseminated, peer-reviewed products. Faculty were also grouped according to the program to determine the percentage of programs that met various CAPTE standards related to credentials and scholarship. Results. Most core faculty were women who averaged 49 years of age and 13 years of academic experience. The most common rank held by 45% of faculty was assistant professor. Faculty spent the greatest amount of time teaching (50%) and the least amount in clinical practice (<6%). Nearly 60% possessed an academic doctorate, and 40% were certified clinical specialists. Most faculty were employed by small, private institutions with faculty sizes ranging from 3 to 29. Only a small percentage of faculty members and program directors did not meet CAPTE's academic credential requirements. However, 26% of the program did not meet CAPTE's requirement for an adequate blend of doctoral degrees. The variables that best distinguished between faculty with high versus low levels of scholarly productivity were type of doctoral degree, academic rank, and years of academic experience. Discussion and Conclusion. When compared with faculty data collected by CAPTE in the preceding decade, today's professoriate shares a similar age range, sex distribution, years of experience, academic rank distribution, and workload percentages as their predecessors. However, the percentage of faculty with doctoral degrees and clinical specialty credentials has increased, and there has been a slight shift in the number employed in small, private institutions. Unfortunately, their level of scholarly productivity has remained stable, and 75% of programs still have one or more faculty members with no scholarly record. Thus, there continues to be a need to recruit more faculty with academic doctorates to replace the large number of retiring senior faculty and to meet the research demands of today's practitioners who are engaged in evidence-based practice.

Study of the Relevance of the Quality of Care, Operating Efficiency and Inefficient Quality Competition of Senior Care Facilities.

The purpose of this research is to examine the relation between operating efficiency and the quality of care of senior care facilities. We designed a data envelopment analysis, combining epsilon-based measure and metafrontier efficiency analyses to estimate the operating efficiency for senior care facilities, followed by an iterative seemingly unrelated regression to evaluate the relation between the quality of care and operating efficiency. In the empirical studies, Taiwan census data was utilized and findings include the following: Despite the greater operating scale of the general type of senior care facilities, their average metafrontier technical efficiency is inferior to that of nursing homes. We adopted senior care facility accreditation results from Taiwan as a variable to represent the quality of care and examined the relation of accreditation results and operating efficiency. We found that the quality of care of general senior care facilities is negatively related to operating efficiency; however, for nursing homes, the relationship is not significant. Our findings show that facilities invest more in input resources to obtain better ratings in the accreditation report. Operating efficiency, however, does not improve. Quality competition in the industry in Taiwan is inefficient, especially for general senior care facilities.

Guarding the gate politically and politely: How accreditation teams do facework while gatekeeping

AbstractAccreditation is a quality assurance mechanism which evaluates either the capability of an institution to offer an academic program or the quality of an academic program before its launch. Accredited institutions and programs are allowed to enroll students, both fee-paying and non-fee-paying. The outcome of an accreditation exercise will therefore have significant implications for an institution’s reputation and finance. Institutions are normally informed of the outcome through an accreditation report, a genre whose discourse is intrinsically interesting and important, and thus deserves fuller research attention, for two reasons: (1) the genre contains evaluations and comments which can be negative and face-threatening, and (2) the accreditation team, as we can safely assume, will do facework subsequent to the performance of face threats through the negative evaluations and comments. The present study seeks to gain a better understanding of the lexicogrammar of this genre in general, and the lexicogrammar used to textualize facework in particular by analyzing the discourse of 30 accreditation reports in an Australian context. This paper argues that the evaluative language used in this genre can serve to perform facework for both the institution being accredited and the accreditation team itself, and have important implications for both the workplace and classroom.

Modifiable variables in physical therapy education programs associated with first-time and three-year National Physical Therapy Examination pass rates in the United States.

Purpose:This study aimed to examine the modifiable programmatic characteristics reflected in the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) Annual Accreditation Report for all accredited programs that reported pass rates on the National Physical Therapist Examination, and to build a predictive model for first-time and three-year ultimate pass rates.Methods:This observational study analyzed programmatic information from the 185 CAPTE-accredited physical therapy programs in the United States and Puerto Rico out of a total of 193 programs that provided the first-time and three-year ultimate pass rates in 2011. Fourteen predictive variables representing student selection and composition, clinical education length and design, and general program length and design were analyzed against first-time pass rates and ultimate pass rates on the NPTE. Univariate and multivariate multinomial regression analysis for first-time pass rates and logistic regression analysis for three-year ultimate pass rates were performed.Results:The variables associated with the first-time pass rate in the multivariate analysis were the mean undergraduate grade point average (GPA) and the average age of the cohort. Multivariate analysis showed that mean undergraduate GPA was associated with the three-year ultimate pass rate.Conclusions:Mean undergraduate GPA was found to be the only modifiable predictor for both first-time and three-year pass rates among CAPTE-accredited physical therapy programs.

‘Discovery Learning’: An account of rapid curriculum change in response to accreditation

Background/Aims: The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes and experiences of leaders responsible for making rapid changes to a medical school curriculum in response to an adverse accreditation report. The new curriculum was based on the principles of problem-based learning (‘Discovery Learning’), with changes to the way that students were assessed.Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with leaders responsible for education at the school two and a half years after the adoption of the new curriculum. We coded the resulting transcripts to identify major and minor themes expressed by participants.Results: Thirty-five senior leaders, administrators and course directors were invited for the interview; 14 (40%) were interviewed. Five main themes were noted in the data: (1) organization and control of the curriculum; (2) changes in the practices of teaching and learning; (3) effects on faculty members; (4) sources of resistance and (5) attitudes to curriculum change in general.Conclusion: This study demonstrates that major curriculum change can be achieved successfully in a short period of time. This study also illustrates some of the problems associated with making rapid changes to the medical school curriculum, and highlights the importance of attitudes to change amongst the leadership of a medical school.

Evaluating trauma center structural performance: The experience of a Canadian provincial trauma system

Background:Indicators of structure, process, and outcome are required to evaluate the performance of trauma centers to improve the quality and efficiency of care. While periodic external accreditation visits are part of most trauma systems, a quantitative indicator of structural performance has yet to be proposed. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a trauma center structural performance indicator using accreditation report data.Materials and Methods:Analyses were based on accreditation reports completed during on-site visits in the Quebec trauma system (1994-2005). Qualitative report data was retrospectively transposed onto an evaluation grid and the weighted average of grid items was used to quantify performance. The indicator of structural performance was evaluated in terms of test-retest reliability (kappa statistic), discrimination between centers (coefficient of variation), content validity (correlation with accreditation decision, designation level, and patient volume) and forecasting (correlation between visits performed in 1994-1999 and 1998-2005).Results:Kappa statistics were >0.8 for 66 of the 73 (90%) grid items. Mean structural performance score over 59 trauma centers was 47.4 (95% CI: 43.6-51.1). Two centers were flagged as outliers and the coefficient of variation was 31.2% (95% CI: 25.5% to 37.6%), showing good discrimination. Correlation coefficients of associations with accreditation decision, designation level, and volume were all statistically significant (r = 0.61, -0.40, and 0.24, respectively). No correlation was observed over time (r = 0.03).Conclusion:This study demonstrates the feasibility of quantifying trauma center structural performance using accreditation reports. The proposed performance indicator shows good test-retest reliability, between-center discrimination, and construct validity. The observed variability in structural performance across centers and over-time underlines the importance of evaluating structural performance in trauma systems at regular intervals to drive quality improvement efforts.

MyPDA Data Map

The process of accreditation by Engineering Accreditation Council Malaysia (EAC) and BEM is purely based on manual of Engineering Programme Accreditation Manual. This process consumes high commitment, cost and time by academicians and support staff in preparing the document that may divert their attention from performing their real task of teaching, researching and publicizing. Five key criteria are involves in accreditation i.e. curriculum, students, academics and support staff, facilities and quality management systems. In obtaining accreditation, an accreditation report should be produced and submitted for evaluation by the EAC committee. The difficulty of gathering is the most important evidence of information and materials in the absence of a proper recording and monitoring information system in place. In the philosophy of ‘do thing right first’ a structured information system namely ‘Perisian Dokumentasi Akreditasi’ (MyPDA) is proposed to be developed and data map needs to be first identified as an initial work of this research.

The National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination's First Time Pass Rates and Their Relationship to Education Program Faculty Attributes

Background and Purpose. There is a paucity of published literature regarding the correlation between faculty attributes and education program pass rates on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) particularly regarding the physical therapist assistant (PTA). The purpose of this study was to 1) determine if there is a relationship between faculty attributes in PTA educational programs and program outcomes on the NPTE for Physical Therapist Assistants (NPTE-PTA) and 2) construct a prediction model for PTA program outcomes based on faculty attributes. Subjects. The 233United States’ PTA programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) in 2006 were studied. Methods. Using a retrospective design, data were obtained regarding the PTA programs from the dataset of CAPTE’s PTA annual accreditation report and the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy’s pass rate database. Selected faculty attributes (designation of highest degree conferred, years of teaching experience, employment status, license designation [physical therapist or physical therapist assistant] and clinical specialization) were correlated to first time program pass rates. Backward deletion regression was used to predict the first time pass rate on the NPTE-PTA.Results. Based on data from 190/233 PTA programs, seven attributes had a statistically significant relationship to the outcomes on the NPTE-PTA. They were the number of: 1) full-time faculty; 2) adjunct faculty with an associate’s degree; 3) full-time faculty with a terminal degree; 4) core faculty with a terminal degree; 5) all faculty with a terminal degree 6) years of teaching experience of the full-time faculty; 7) years of teaching experience of the core faculty. Backward deletion regression analyses demonstrated an overall model of two combined predictor factors (full-time faculty years of teaching and full-time faculty terminal degree) that significantly predicted the first time pass rate on the NPTE-PTAaccounting for 6.5% of the variance. Discussion and Conclusion. Faculty attributes of the institutions providing PTAprograms are associated with first time pass rates of their graduates. This study provides a foundation for future studies by identifying some of the faculty attributes that relate to NPTE-PTA outcomes.

Curriculum reform: a narrated journey

Curriculum reform poses significant challenges for medical schools across the globe. Understanding the medical educator's personal and lived experience of curriculum change is paramount. This paper illustrates the use of narrative inquiry as a means of exploring the author's own evolving professional identity as a medical educator engaged in planning and leading curriculum reform and in understanding the meanings she and other medical educators attribute to their roles as agents of change in a medical school. In 2002 it was decided to radically reform a school of medicine's (SoM) traditional 6-year medical degree course (converting it to a 5-year, integrated, case-based programme). This followed a decade of adverse external reports by the national accreditation agency. The 2001 accreditation report was the most significant catalyst for change, and drew attention to the School's need for a 'collective will' to introduce a series of specific curriculum reforms. To support this reform, a new curriculum working group (NCWG) supported by a dedicated medical education unit (MEU) was established. In late 2002 the author joined the School as the director of that unit. This paper draws on a 3-year study which captured the stories of the curriculum planning project between 2002 and 2005, as well as stories of curriculum reform from past deans of the same medical school dating back to 1965. Narrative inquiry is used as a means of probing the author's own lived experience as coordinator of the new curriculum project and the experiences of key members of the NCWG, including the dean, and of former deans from the same medical school over its 40-year history. Through a living, telling and retelling of the story of curriculum change, narrative inquiry has a role to play in both elucidating the individual lived experience of curriculum change and shaping the evolving professional identity of the medical educator as an agent of change.

Involving consumers in accreditation: the Irish experience

Following the 2004 review of the Acute Care Accreditation Scheme, the Irish Health Services Accreditation Board (IHSAB) decided to increase the level of consumer involvement in the accreditation process by including consumers as members of the review teams assessing healthcare organizations. Such consumers were known as service user (SU) surveyors where SUs were defined as any person who has used the Irish health system, i.e. a patient or relative/carer, etc. Consumer surveyors first participated in surveys in 2005 and a total of seven surveys took place that year. An evaluation of the role and participation of the consumer surveyor was conducted in 2006. All stakeholder groups were consulted, i.e. consumer and peer review surveyors, applicant organizations and IHSAB staff, and a combination of qualitative and quantitative techniques was used. Stakeholders considered that consumer involvement introduced greater objectivity and credibility. Characteristics such as good communication and interpersonal skills, excellent powers of observation and objectivity were identified as important traits for consumer surveyors. There were some issues in relation to the clarity and consistency of their role in terms of the rating of criteria and their contribution to the accreditation report. There was support among the stakeholder groups for greater consumer involvement in the process by participating in additional tours and interviews. The evaluation highlights that the introduction of consumer surveyors has been successful but illustrates that their role and level of involvement in the process may need to be re-examined.

Preparing for an Accreditation

Abstract Based on e-mails gathered from listservs, a variety of sources are suggested for preparing for an upcoming accreditation: the previous accreditation report of one's home campus, published literature, the national library peer comparison tool as well as statistical sources, the U.S. Office of Postsecondary Education's website of accreditation agencies, how to obtain recent sample accreditation reports from your home state, how to obtain supporting survey documentation forms, insights from colleagues who served on accreditation teams, as well as what questions we can expect to be asked from the visiting accreditation team.

European guidelines for the accreditation of Sleep Medicine Centres

This document describes guidelines for accreditation of Sleep Medicine Centres in Europe. These guidelines are the result of a consensus procedure, in which representatives of the European Sleep Research Society (ESRS) and representatives of different European National Sleep Societies (ENSS) were involved. The information obtained during different rounds of consultation was gathered and processed by the members of the Steering Committee of the ESRS. The scope of the guidelines is to define the characteristics of multidisciplinary Sleep Medicine Centres (SMCs), in terms of requirements regarding staff, operational procedures and logistic facilities. Accreditation of SMCs is proposed to be the responsibility of the individual ENSS. The Accreditation Guidelines may thus be considered an instrument for the national societies to develop new or standardize existing accreditation questionnaires, as well as procedures for visiting the site, drafting the accreditation report, and finally, granting the accreditation. The Accreditation Guidelines are meant to be a line of action, that ideally should be followed as close as possible, but that may be subject to certain exceptions, depending on local customs or regulations.

The Rise of the Creative Practitioner

Good afternoon, Polly and colleagues. Thank you to the Education section for granting me the honor of giving this presentation, and to Mr Jeff Martell, Polly's nephew, who has supported it over the years. He and his family send their best regards to all of you. In a recent discussion with Jeff, he told me that he and his wife and three children visit Polly regularly, in a small home-type residence in New Hampshire that meets all her needs. While Polly is essentially wheelchair bound, she moves throughout the home, followed everywhere by the resident dog named Whiz. Jeff says Polly responds expressively to the cards that she receives, and which he reads her when he visits, and she appears to be uplifted by them. The surrounding land is enough to be called a mini-farm, and has chickens, rabbits, and sheep. The electric fence around the grounds doesn't appear to phase or shock the sheep that carry a very thick coat. Recently, Jeff related that when an emergency vehicle came to transport a resident, they found one of the sheep had hopped into the vehicle when they were inside the home. But of course they foiled that resident's attempt to take it on the lamb. So Polly is not without access to some fun around her. We are here to honor Polly Cerasoli for her tireless and dedicated professional work as an educator, administrator, and mentor. It also attempts to reflect Polly's personal demeanor, who she is, and what she stands for. The lecturers who have gone before me have accomplished this. Each of those presenters (some of whom are with us today . . .) has deepened our insight through their individual contributions, and in doing so, has deepened our insight of our profession. Each past presenter structured their presentation according to an attribute descriptive of Polly. This presentation follows that pattern. I count Polly as a friend, and have chosen to highlight an attribute that I observed as a result of an experience I shared with Polly. I first met Polly in the early 70s, when we attended a workshop for on-site visitors sponsored by the Association's Accreditation Department. She and I were randomly assigned to work on a mock problem we might encounter on an accreditation visit and report to the group the next day. As Polly was staying outside the hotel about 5 miles away, I envisioned work over breakfast the next day. Polly envisioned work that night. I envisioned describing our problem to the group. Polly envisioned posing solutions. I envisioned 8 hours sleep. Polly envisioned completing the task. We worked on the task for some time until we stalled. Polly said, Donna, let's imagine we are these people. Let's be them in their environment; then what would we do? In that moment everything changed. The problem became ours. We became fully engaged. We were the people with the problem, and we were the people with a stake in the outcome. Our perception of our own role changed. That immersion within the problem, and the true reversal of roles, fostered creativity within us and we were able to address the task constructively. The experience, of itself, left me changed. Our life experiences prepare us for future action and they are the basis of our vision for the future. Each life experience that triggers feeling within us is accompanied by incremental change. To the descriptions that have been offered of Polly, add . . . creative. Physical therapy today faces many challenges, as do other health care professions. The challenges and the problems they present in the delivery of health care to society do not appear to be responding to solutions that have been applied to such issues in the past. We seek creative solutions for change. The motivation to be creative comes more readily when we recognize that we really do have a stake in the outcome. Many of the problems we are now experiencing in health care delivery are directly linked to changes in society itself.1 The more we are genuinely part of the environments in which we live and work, and the more closely we identify with the issues presented by those environments, the more we will be able to affect the direction of the environments and our future. …