AOE Compliance Connection

Welcome to the September edition of AOE’s Monthly Newsletter! This edition of AOE Compliance Connection includes accreditation board updates from ACCME and ANCC, the final installment of our series about Initial Accreditation, and Part 2 of a three-part series on How to Overcome the Top 3 Obstacles to Accredited CME Program Success from AOE President, Stephen Lewis. In addition to our monthly newsletter, we share weekly compliance tips on a wide range of accredited CME/CE topics—you can find them here.

The ACCME announced the launch of its new Pinnacle Awards program, intended to “celebrate the remarkable individuals and organizations shaping the future of accredited CME in healthcare.” The awards will recognize excellence across four categories:

• CME Administrator of the Year
• CME Impact of the Year
• CME Innovator of the Year
• CME Mentor of the Year

The organization will accept both colleague and self-nominations, so don’t be shy. Award applications are available here and open now through Wednesday, October 1, 2025. Recipients and their nominators will be notified of status in early December. Award perks include complimentary registration and travel support to attend ACCME’s 2026 Learn to Thrive conference in May, where honorees will be formally recognized via an awards ceremony and in the ACCME’s newsletter/additional communications.

Good luck!

Following the release of ANCC’s new accreditation manual in July, it appears that the organization is updating the Distinction criteria for providers seeking ANCC’s esteemed Magnet with Distinction® designation. Per the organization, “The COA-NCPD [Commission on Accreditation in Nursing Continuing Professional Development] is in the process of approving updates to the Accreditation with Distinction criteria and they should be released via a memo and uploaded into the learning community soon.” Stay tuned for developments.

Interested in applying for Initial Accreditation with the ACCME? Last month, we detailed the Performance-in-Practice component of the Initial Accreditation process. This month, we’ll conclude our series with the last step of the journey: the accreditation interview.

In short, the interview portion of the application process gives providers the opportunity to expand on the information they’ve already provided in the Self-Study Report (SSR) and Performance-in-Practice activity files. Here’s what you can expect:

Where and when does the interview happen? The interview will be conducted remotely via video conference call. This is typically a 2-hour meeting, though it may be shorter based on the content and pace of the conversation.

Who are the players? ACCME will assign a team of volunteer surveyors to serve as your interviewers. These are colleagues from the CME community who are trained and well-versed in ACCME’s accreditation policies and guidelines. Don’t worry, these aren’t judges; they are normal people who have lived and breathed CME, just like you. Their role is to help fully understand your CME program. Feel free to reach out to AOE with any questions about surveyors. The AOE team has two former accreditation surveyors on our team—one for ACCME and one for Joint Accreditation. In keeping with ACCME’s commitment to independence, the surveyor team assigned to you will not have any existing connection with your organization.

On your side, select team members who are responsible for planning and implementing your CME program, only—i.e., the individuals that truly know your program in and out. Be discerning when it comes to lining up your interview team. More isn’t necessarily better.

What does the interview cover? The surveyor team will ask a variety of questions related to your overall CME program goals and strategies, as well as follow-up questions related to the materials you provided in your SSR and Performance-in-Practice files.

Why is the interview important? This is your opportunity to further describe and expand on the program details you shared in the SSR, as well as clarify anything that the surveyors found hazy or unclear in your Performance-in-Practice files. In other words, it’s one more chance to communicate the goals, strategies, and functionality of your CME program.

It’s over—phew. What now? Once your interview is complete, the surveyor team will document and report their findings to the ACCME, and the organization will begin their decision-making process. This process will take approximately 3-4 months, and you’ll be notified of your status via PARS/an email to your named PARS contact.

Congratulations—you’ve completed the Initial Accreditation application journey!

The interview (and overall Initial Accreditation process) can be intimidating to some providers. If your team is interested in assistance or management on this front, reach out to the AOE team here to learn more about the accreditation management and coordination services we offer.

This article is the second in a three-part series from AOE President, Stephen Lewis.

Stephen Lewis, MA, CHCP

In working with dozens of accredited CME/CE programs since 2008 to address and overcome barriers to success, we recently worked with AOE clients to identify the Top 3 obstacles they struggle with. (If you missed Part 1, check it out here). If you can identify with or add any new obstacles or solutions to this list, please reach out to us to share your experiences or let us know how we can help.

Obstacle #2 - Quantity at the Expense of Quality

Accredited CE programs, especially those with more than five years of history, often adapt to change by adding new policies, procedures and forms on top of existing structures. The problem? They rarely delete the outdated or inefficient practices along the way. The result: frustration from collecting and processing a lot of data instead of the right data.

Example: In a recent Accredited CME/CE Program Audit, we collected and analyzed more than 35 examples of client forms, processes and education materials. The analysis showed that the accredited provider (AP) used a shotgun approach to collecting disclosures and mitigating financial conflicts of interest. Some of the data came from abstracts, some from faculty invite letters or reminder emails and forms, and, of course, some of the data was found on the disclosure form itself. In order to appropriately identify and mitigate relevant conflicts, the AP had to play a version of form and data “whack a mole” that wasted a lot of energy.

We tend to add policies and procedures in response to real or perceived requirements. Remember, there are only five standards in the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. A consistent, condensed set of efficient practices saves time and cost while improving quality and service.

Solution: By working to develop and implement a streamlined set of policies, procedures and forms, AP programs can easily separate the “wheat from the chaff” and save a lot of energy in the process.

Follow along next month for Obstacle #3.

• ACPE CPD Accreditation Pathway Workshop & CPE Administrator Workshop
  September 16 – 17, 2025, Chicago, IL
  Read More >>
• American Board of Medical Specialties ABMS Conference 2025
  September 17 – 19, 2025, Pittsburgh, PA
  Read More >>
• Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education™ - Fall 2025 Getting Started with Joint Accreditation Virtual Workshop
  September 26, 2025
  Read More >>
• ANCC Magnet & Pathway Conference 2025
  October 8 – 10, 2025, Atlanta, GA
  Read More >>
• Mid-Atlantic Alliance for Continuing Medical Education (MAACME) 2025 Annual Conference
  November 5 – 6, 2025, Blue Bell, PA
  Read More >>