Infl uence of Contextual Factors and Continuous Medical Education on Healthcare Outcomes in the Republic of Serbia A

Introduction: The basic purpose of the professional continuing education is facilitating the successful conduct of practitioners in the fi eld of practical characteristics of their professional work. Topic: In the Republic of Serbia (RS), the current Ordinance on Closer Conditions for Continuing Education for Healthcare Workers and Healthcare Associates implies that there is a connection between continuing medical education (CME) and the improvement of quality of healthcare workers and healthcare associates. However, such connectivity is diffi cult to prove. In order for the CME programs to be eff ective in improving the quality of work of healthcare professionals, it is essential that the well-known criteria for assessing the effectiveness of the CME programs be implemented in the Ordinance of the RS. Conclusions: Strong application of the criteria for assessing the eff ectiveness of the CME program can lead to improvement of the performance of the healthcare professionals, patient outcomes and the population’s health in the RS.