This manual provides guidelines for: (1) developing community hospital-based programs of continuing medical education; and (2) delivering education consultation to community hospitals. Chapters I and II outline principles of continuing medical education, present a model for education program development, and provide specific how-to techniques and instruments with which to implement them. Numerous methods of continuing medical education are discussed. In Chapter III, several guest contributors, all leaders in their fields, present their approaches to developing education programs based on assessment of quality of health care. Principles and techniques of delivering education consultation to community hospitals are presented in Chapter IV. Chapter V is a case illustration of the consultation procedure and the nature of program development at a typical community hospital. Chapter VI provides an outline of the formation, organization and activities of a continuing education institution, Postgraduate Medical Institute, as an illustration of the potential for similar organizations. Lists of suggested readings are provided throughout the manual. The object of this manual is to serve as a primary resource for hospital medical educators as well as medical societies, medical schools, regional medical programs, and other institutions concerned with continuing education of physicians. (Author/CK)