Survey finds many physicians report learning and changing patient care due to participation in the Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA®)

According to a new survey doctors are learning and putting their knowledge into practice with patients as they are regularly evaluated in ABIM's Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA).

The survey results were published today in an article in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Among key findings, 73% of general internists participating in the LKA reported that it had led to changes or intended changes to patient care. The study also reports findings related to physician learning:

• Overall, 95% of doctors reported learning from answering LKA questions.
• More than 70% said they were motivated to study further from feedback on their performance on the assessment.
• Most notably, physicians scoring in the bottom quartile were 30 percentage points more likely to report that the LKA feedback motivated them to study more compared to those in the top quartile.

"The LKA was designed to be a summative assessment that also enables physicians to learn as they respond to questions, and it appears to be working," said Heather L. Heiman, MD, co-author of the study, Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education at the University of Illinois College of Medicine and a member of ABIM's Board of Directors. "That physicians report incorporating some of what they have learned into patient care illustrates that assessments can enhance learning as well in ways that impact real life practice."

The survey results were obtained from 1,451 general internists who enrolled in the first year the LKA was available in 2022 and continue to participate in the program.

More than 74,000 physicians are currently participating in the Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment (LKA®), where they answer up to 30 questions about various topics within their specialty each quarter and receive a decision on their LKA performance at the conclusion of five years; if successful they continue on in LKA, if not, they have the opportunity to take the traditional long form assessment in the following year.

After answering each question in the LKA, physicians receive immediate feedback about their response with detailed rationales and accompanying references. After their first year of participation, physicians receive preliminary feedback quarterly on their performance both relative to an absolute standard and relative to other physicians.

"These findings show that while primarily an assessment of medical knowledge and judgment, the LKA enables meaningful learning through immediate feedback and motivates ongoing professional development, particularly among those who need it most," said Bradley M. Gray, Ph.D., corresponding author and a Principal Health Services Researcher at ABIM. "Most importantly, it demonstrates that learning from the LKA may lead to tangible improvements in patient care."

About ABIM

The mission of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) is to enhance the quality of health care by certifying internists and subspecialists who demonstrate the knowledge, skills and attitudes essential for excellent patient care.