Evaluation of learning in health care organizations

Continuing education in the health professions has traditionally focused on the needs of each learner. Changes in the health care delivery system are fostering the interdependence of health professionals and health care organizations, leading to collective responsibility for improving clinical outcomes. Practitioners can no longer learn in isolation, but must be active participants in the generation and application of knowledge that is shared openly with both clinical and nonclinical colleagues. This new environment provides an opportunity for the continuing education professional to move from the role of educator to that of performance consultant, operating at the interface between the health professional and the health care organization to implement the principles of organizational learning. The future relevance of continuing education to the health care system will depend on the ability to demonstrate that organizational learning in combination with individual learning leads to improvement in the quality and cost effectiveness of health care.