Welcome to the April edition of AOE Compliance Connection, AOE’s monthly newsletter!
Spring is a good time for fresh new looks, and the ACCME has debuted its new logo and provider marks. We provide a peek at those images, along with updates from the other two major accreditation boards (ACPE and ANCC).
Keep an eye on social media for our weekly compliance tip postings, and visit our webpage for a CME library of information and many other tools and resources!
We hope you enjoy this month’s edition of AOE Compliance Connection! Please reach out to us with any questions, or just to connect – inquire@aoeconsulting.com.
Accreditation Board Bulletin
ACCME
The ACCME has recently released new educational resources and examples regarding “Addresses Public Health Priorities” and “Enhances Skills” categories of the new Menu of Criteria for Accreditation with Commendation. In an effort to recognize organizations that stand out as CME providers and celebrate their achievements, the ACCME is publishing these resources to support implementation of the new commendation criteria.
In the “Addresses Public Health Priorities,” Commendation Criteria 26-28, accredited providers are rewarded for leveraging education to support improvements in public health. In Commendation Criteria 29-32, “Enhances Skills”, providers are acknowledged for designing CME to optimize skills and create individualized learning plans and support strategies for learners.
The ACCME has created written FAQs, videos and compliance examples for each of the commendation criteria to assist providers seeking Accreditation with Commendation. View the educational resources available for Criteria 26-28 “Addresses Public Health Priorities.” View the educational resources available for Criteria 29-32 “Enhances Skills.”
As a reminder, organizations who are seeking Accreditation with Commendation will have the choice of using the current Commendation Criteria C16-C22 or the Menu of New Commendation Criteria C23-C38 until November 2019. Providers with accreditation decisions after November 2019 must use the Menu of New Commendation Criteria to achieve Accreditation with Commendation.
ACPE:
The ACPE Provider Web Tool (PWT) has been recently updated to simplify communication and offer providers a more intuitive experience. When providers log into the PWT, a list of the new changes appears at the top of the screen.
Perhaps the most convenient of the updates is a feature allowing providers to print their Certificate of ACPE Accreditation directly from the website. Using the “Print Certificate” option, providers can also save an electronic version of the certificate directly to their computer.
Other changes include updated keyword lists, more streamlined questions in the Grant Support tab, more prominent Topic Designator definitions and improved form instructions in the “Request Change in Activity” page.
The Provider Web Tool can be accessed via the Continuing Education Provider Accreditation link of the ACPE’s homepage.
ANCC:
When ANCC accredited providers prepare for the launch of an activity for credit, there are some items that must be conveyed to the learner prior to engagement in the activity, some of which are unique requirements of the ANCC, specifically. This information must be made available to learners prior to their engagement of educational content, whether the activity is live or enduring.
- Accreditation statement of provider responsible for the educational activity
- Successful completion requirements in order to claim and receive contact hours
- Presence or absence of conflicts of interest for all individuals that are in a position to control the content of the activity, including:
- Name of individual
- Name of commercial interest(s)
- Nature of the relationship between the individual and the commercial interest(s)
Note: if no relevant relationship exists, the provider must inform learners that no conflict of interest exists for any individual in a position to control content of an ANCC accredited activity.
- Any financial or in-kind support for an educational activity, if applicable
- Expiration of enduring materials, if applicable
- Identification of Joint Provider, if applicable
CME in the News: ACCME Releases New Logo and Provider Marks
In late March, the ACCME released its new brand, including a new logo, provider marks, tagline and color palette. The changes were made to reflect the shift in direction for the ACCME, now emphasizing the “lifelong journey of learning and celebrate the forward trajectory of the continuing medical education (CME) community.” (accme.org)
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The logo was designed with “upward movement and expansion” in mind, with clean lines to reflect accuracy and precision. Colors were selected that communicate growth and nurturing environments.
“Our new logo and tagline capture the role of learning in promoting wellness for all of us. As a physician and CEO of the ACCME, I’m optimistic and excited about our future, as we work together to expand the flexibility, inclusiveness, and diversity of education— with the aim of improving care for the patients and communities we all serve,” said Graham McMahon, MD, MMSc, President and CEO, ACCME.
Provider marks were created that are adaptations of the new ACCME logo, and contribute to the consistent image branding. According to the ACCME, these marks serve as a message to clinicians: “This education is relevant to your needs, evidence-based, effective and independent of commercial influence.”
Providers can download the new provider marks to communicate their accreditation status, along with guidelines for usage of the new images.
While these images are available for immediate use, and for use on all future content, there is no need to change material already in use/print.
Practical Management of Your CME/CE Program
This month we’d like to share some practical tips and best practices for day-to-day management of your CME/CE program.
- Standard Activity File Structure: Keep organized files to guarantee you and your team are well prepared to compile activity documentation for accreditation audit. AOE recommends maintaining a standard activity file structure. This ensures that even if there is a transition, records are properly maintained and easy to access.
- Checklists: Utilizing checklists can help ensure that simple mistakes are avoided. Some checklists we recommend creating include:
- Audience Generation Materials Checklist
- Program Materials Checklist
- Activity File Close-out Checklist
- Disclosure Grid: To keep track of reported disclosures, determination of relevance, and resolution of conflicts-of-interest we recommend utilizing a tracking tool either in Word or Excel. This tool can help manage all disclosure information and keep track of relevant COIs and corresponding resolution.
- Free Survey Platforms: Platforms such as SurveyMonkey, SurveyMethods, and JotForm are easy-to-use programs that can be useful for creating an online disclosure form or post-activity evaluation.
- E-mail Templates: Streamline day-to-day CME/CE tasks by creating a repository of e-mail templates that can be utilized for various functions. For example, for faculty management create e-mail templates to: request disclosure, collect materials, request required presentation changes, etc. Having these resources on hand helps make the work more efficient.
These are just a few of our tips and tricks. We know providers of different sizes and situations have their own best practices and their own unique challenges. But, we hope we’ve shared an idea or two that could prompt new ideas for improving the efficiency, organization, and operation of your CME/CE program.
Upcoming Activities/Education Opportunities
- ACCME 2017 Meeting: Evolution, Innovation, and Alignment
April 24-27, 2017, Chicago, IL
Read More >> - ANCC Pathway to Excellence Conference
April 27-28, 2017, Dallas, TX
Read More >> - “CME for MOC: Ask Your Questions” Webinar
May 16, 2017, Online
Read More >> - SACME 2017 Annual Meeting
May 16-20, 2017, Scottsdale, AZ
Read More >> - ANCC CNE Symposium
July 18, New Orleans, LA
Read More >> - Self-Study for ACCME Accreditation Webinar
July 25, 2017, Online
Read More >> - CME as a Bridge to Quality Accreditation Workshop
August 2, 2017, Chicago, IL
Read More >>
