If you have any questions about Mainpro+, Dr. Sarah Bartlett is your local resource. The Vancouver-based family physician is the CFPC’s Regional Educator for BC, focused on helping our members make a smooth transition to the College’s new and improved education credit reporting system that launches June 27.
If you would like to learn more about Mainpro+, Dr. Bartlett will be attending conferences and events over the coming months, but she is also happy to come to your own practice meetings or rounds: “I want to talk to as many people as I can. I am more than willing to answer any individual questions or concerns.”
After graduating from medical school at Dalhousie University, Dr. Bartlett completed her family medicine residency in Ontario and has been practicing in BC for the past nine years. She will be devoting part of her time to the Regional Educator duties, while maintaining her current role as a member of the Cambie Older Adult Mental Health Team.
She is very familiar with the current Mainpro and, along with the five other Regional Educators from across the country, has received in depth briefings on Mainpro+. She understands that although members may be aware that the new system is coming, most still have questions about how it will affect them, and what they may need to do differently as a result.
One of the aspects of new Mainpro+ that she really appreciates is the focus on linking education credits to practice. “I really like the wider variety of credit-eligible activities that recognize the varied practices of CFPC members. I also appreciate the focus on making CPD relevant to our practices and patient outcomes.”
In preparation for the transition, the Mainpro system will be down from June 20 to 26. Dr. Bartlett notes that the College is asking that members enter all of their outstanding credits before June 20.
How to link up with Dr. Bartlett
Dr. Bartlett will be attending as many family physician conferences, meetings and events as possible in the coming months. Look for her booth at the Practice Survival Skills conference and the Locum’s Forum.
Recognizing that web-based learning can be a more convenient solution for busy family physicians, she is also interested in finding out if members might be interested in webinars covering the main points of Mainpro+ and providing a forum for questions.
If you would like to invite Dr. Bartlett to present at your practice or division meeting, or if you have any specific Mainpro+ questions, please contact her directly at [email protected].
Frequently asked questions about Mainpro changes
BCCFP asked Dr. Bartlett to answer some of the most frequently asked question on Mainpro+.
Why is the CFPC changing Mainpro?
The College recognized the need for a system that’s more intuitive and reflective of the practices of our members. As family physicians, our practices are broad in scope, so the new platform will provide a variety of ways in which we can meet our learning needs. For example, Mainpro+ recognizes work-place learning, encourages competency-based continuing professional development (CPD), and aims to help family physicians improve patient outcomes.
What are the major changes that members need to know about?
- One of the most visible changes will be the upgraded and updated credit reporting website. When you login to Mainpro on June 27, you will see a new dashboard with easy to access information and credit reporting capabilities.
- The credit categories are also changing. With Mainpro+, the current credit categories of Mainpro-M1, M2, and Mainpro-C will be replaced by more intuitive categories: Group Learning, Self-Learning, and Assessment. Members will be required to record certified and non-certified CPD activities within these categories, and a new, easier-to-use credit reporting platform will support this change.
- The requirements for Mainpro+ program certification (formerly accreditation) are being enhanced. This will mean that Mainpro+ certified programs must achieve six quality criteria to achieve higher quality learning. Programs will be certified at one-credit, two-credits and three-credits per hour.
- Non-certified programs that are promotional in nature will no longer be eligible for credits of any kind.
Will the annual reporting requirements stay the same?
You will still have a five-year cycle in which you must report a minimum of 250 credits, and there will still be an annual reporting requirement of 25 credits.
Will we receive more information on Mainpro+ before the June 27 launch?
As your Regional Educator, I will be attending as many local conferences or CPD events as possible to provide information or answer your questions. The College has already been communicating the changes to members via email, eNews (the CFPC electronic newsletter), whiteboard videos and information on the CFPC website. However, you will see more in the months to come. There will also be training videos and staff available to coach members through the change once Mainpro+ is launched.
What else is important for members to know?
A full list of Mainpro+ eligible activities is now available on the CFPC website. We encourage everyone to report their credits prior to June 20 to avoid the need to convert credits after Mainpro+ goes live on June 27. Due to the transition, you will not be able to report credits online from June 20 to 26.
Please note that you will not need to move your records from the old system to the new – the College will take care of that.
Where can members get more information?
Information is available on the CFPC website under the CPD at http://www.cfpc.ca/Mainprochanges/ . This is a great resource to see how the activities that you participate in are recognized in the new system. Many other Mainpro+ information resources are also available on the site. You can also contact Dr. Bartlett at [email protected].
