Ensuring safe practice by late career physicians: institutional policies and implementation experiences.
Concerns have been raised about the need to assess the clinical skills of aging physicians. This mixed-methods study of 21 physician leaders explored perspectives about mandatory competency screening of late-career physicians (those working beyond age 65 to 75) across 18 healthcare organizations in the United States. Findings suggest that competency assessment policies are all rooted in ensuring patient safety but vary in testing requirements, funding, decision-making processes, and appeal procedures.