AOE Compliance Connection

Welcome to the November ‘19 edition of AOE Compliance Connection, AOE’s monthly newsletter. This month, we continue our series focused on ACCME Accreditation with Commendation with a focus on Category #2: Addresses Public Health Priorities. Also, in this month’s newsletter, we share a brand new report from the ACCME about patient collaboration, along with updates from the three major accreditation boards, ACCME, ACPE and ANCC. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for our weekly compliance tip and other timely updates!

Continuing with our New Menu of Criteria for Accreditation with Commendation series, this month we take a look at Category #2: Addresses Public Health Priorities which includes C26, C27 and C28. This category puts focus on those CME providers that have the opportunity to use their CME programs to leverage improvements in public health.

Criterion 26: The provider advances the use of health and practice data for healthcare improvement.

This criterion is all about data use. Examples may include provider use of electronic medical record data or registry data and/or use of public health records and prescribing datasets to help a physician understand and improve their practices. The ACCME notes that, “The collection, analysis, and synthesis of health and practice data/information derived from the care of patients can contribute to patient safety, practice improvement, and quality improvement.”

Per the FAQs outlined on the ACCME webpage, CME providers do not need to teach learners how to conduct an analysis or synthesis of data. However, they do need to show that CME activities include teaching about the collection and/or analysis and/or synthesis of health and practice data. Further, the ACCME clarifies that use of clinical registry data in CME is compliant if the data is used to teach about healthcare improvement. Lastly, CME providers should follow institutional policies and practices regarding protection of confidential and identifiable information when including health or practice data in CME activities.

In order to achieve compliance with C26, a CME provider must provide evidence of specific examples based on its program size (Small: 2; Medium: 4; Large: 6; Extra-Large: 8).

Criterion 27: The provider addresses factors beyond clinical care that affect the health of populations.

The ACCME refers to this as “implementation science,” and compliance with this criterion involves reaching past the immediate audience and their practices. A CME provider must demonstrate a desire and ability to change the public health environment and the health of populations. This criterion is focused on barriers to optimum health, that fall outside the realm of clinical medicine. Examples include economic, social and environmental conditions, healthcare systems and access to care. In addressing this criterion, it is helpful to clearly identify the population, pinpoint the barriers that exist and formulate strategies to address such barriers.

The ACCME doesn’t require use of a specific definition of public or population health but refers to “fulfilling society’s interest in assuring conditions in which people can be healthy” (Committee for the Study of the Future of Public Health, 1988, p.19) [Institute of Medicine (1988). The ACCME FAQs clarify that teaching learners how to educate the public/community would count towards meeting this criterion.

The Standard for C27 indicates that a provider must attest to meeting the criterion in at least 10% of activities (but no less than two) during the accreditation term and provide evidence of specific examples based on program size (Small: 2; Medium: 4; Large: 6; Extra-Large: 8).

Criterion 28: The provider collaborates with other organizations to more effectively address population health issues.

This criterion is all about meaningful collaboration. “Organizations” refers to external organizations, not various departments in the same hospital, health care system, etc. Examples include working with the local public health department, a medical records company, or a public advocacy group. Collaboration is a main focus and undertone of the new commendation criteria as a whole, and for C28 it’s important to articulate the “why” behind the collaboration. Additionally, it’s important that a CME provider is clear about how the collaboration affects population health and ties to the CME provider’s mission.

Per the ACCME FAQs, a CME provider must demonstrate how collaborations augment its ability to address population health issues but does not have to demonstrate these approaches with examples of specific CME activities.

In order to achieve compliance with C28, a CME provider must “Demonstrate the presence of collaborations that are aimed at improving population health” with four examples from the accreditation term.

If you are interested in training and/or strategic planning as related to the New Menu of Criteria for Accreditation with Commendation, please contact AOE Consulting at inquire@aoeconsulting.com.

Late last month, the ACCME released a report designed to provide strategies for educators on engaging patients as partners in both the planning and teaching components of CME. In the report, titled Learning Together: Engaging Patients as Partners in Accredited Continuing Medical Education, the ACCME argues that patients, through their participation, “increase the meaning, relevance, and effectiveness of CME and contribute to improving care for patients and communities”.

At the 2019 ACCME Annual Meeting, a track dubbed “Learning Together” featured strategies for patient collaborations and strategies for patient-centered research design. The feedback and perspective of the patient-partners who participated in this Learning Track together is featured in the ACCME’s latest report.

The concept of patient collaboration isn’t a new one for the ACCME; an entire criterion in the Menu of Criteria for Accreditation with Commendation focuses on recognizing organizations that incorporate patients as planners and faculty in CME planning. The full report can be viewed here.

In its most recent provider e-Update, the ACPE released a new topic designator along with guidance to providers on the topic of planning and conducting pharmacy technician CE.

1. New Topic Designator: Effective January 1, 2020, ACPE-accredited providers will be able to assign a new topic designator (08) for pain management/opioid CE activities. This will include all activities that address components regarding the management and treatment of pain, including the prescribing, distribution and use of opioid medications. This also includes activities that cover the risks, symptoms, and treatment of opioid misuse/addiction.
2. Guidance to Plan/Conduct CE for Pharmacy Technicians:

The newly revised ASHP/ACPE Accreditation Standards for Pharmacy Technician Education and Training Programs emphasizes these recent updates to the Standards: Both Advanced-level and Entry-level pharmacy technician education has replaced the outdated concept of “one level fits all” education. In this same vein, all students need to complete an Entry-level program in order to move on to the Advanced-level options. Alternatively, there is a program that guides students through both levels as a continuous program.

More quarterly updates from the ACPE can be found by viewing their provider e-Updates here.