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(Circulation. 1995;91:2683-2686.)
© 1995 American Heart Association, Inc.

Articles

Clinical Competence in Electrocardiography

A Statement for Physicians From the ACP/ACC/AHA Task Force on Clinical Privileges in Cardiology

Charles Fisch, MD, FACC; Thomas J. Ryan, MD, FACC, FACP, Chairman; Sankey V. Williams, MD, FACP, Immediate Past Chairman; James L. Achord, MD, FACP; Masood Akhtar, MD, FACC; Michael H. Crawford, MD, FACC; Gottlieb C. Friesinger, II, MD, FACC; Elmer J. Holzinger, MD, FACP; Francis J. Klocke, MD, FACC; Peter R. Kowey, MD, FACC; Risa J. Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, FACP; James Leonard, MD, FACP; John B. O'Connell, MD, FACC; Robert A. O'Rourke, MD, FACC; William A. Reynolds, MD, FACP; Patrick J. Scanlon, MD, FACC; Robert C. Schlant, MD, FACC; Donald E. Ware, MD, FACP, Members

Key Words: electrocardiography • arrhythmias • myocardial infarction • AHA Medical/Scientific Statements

	Introduction

 
The selective granting of clinical staff privileges to physicians is one of the primary mechanisms used by institutions to uphold the quality of care. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations requires that the granting of initial or continuing medical staff privileges be based on assessments of applicants against professional criteria that are specified in the medical staff bylaws. Physicians themselves are thus charged with identifying the criteria that constitute professional competence and with evaluating their peers on the basis of such criteria. Yet the process of evaluating a physician's knowledge and competence is often constrained by the evaluator's own knowledge base and ability to elicit the appropriate information, a problem that is compounded by the growing number of highly specialized procedures for which privileges are requested.

This recommendation is one in a series developed to assist in the assessment of physician competence on a procedure-specific basis. The minimal education, training, experience, and cognitive skills necessary for proper interpretation of electrocardiography are specified; whenever possible, these are based on published data linking these factors with competence in certain procedures and, in the absence of such data, on consensus of expert opinion. They are applicable to any practice setting and can accommodate a variety of pathways that physicians might take to attain competence in the performance of specific procedures (see also Guide to the use of ACP statements on clinical competence. Ann Intern Med. 1987;107:588-589.)

	Overview of the Procedure

 
Introduced in 1903 by Einthoven, electrocardiography is the most commonly used laboratory procedure for . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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