Watch the newest AOE video blog, CME Watch for important information regarding potential changes to the ACCME’s accreditation requirements.

ACCME’s Proposal for Change to Accreditation Requirements

Hi and welcome to AOE Consulting’s video blog, CME Watch. Today’s blog highlights the ACCME’s proposed changes to its accreditation requirements.

Goals for changes to accreditation requirements

On May 21, 2013 the ACCME announced proposed changes to the accreditation requirements, set in motion by a number of ongoing health care system changes. And the ACCME’s proposal for change aims to:
1. streamline accreditation requirements,
2. improve efficiencies, and
3. better support providers in meeting the needs physician learners and the evolving health care environment in which they work.

Proposed changes to ACCME requirements

Proposed changes impact both the process for becoming and maintaining ACCME accreditation, as well as specific accreditation criteria. Among the eleven proposed changes that impact specific accreditation criteria, are:

• A required CME Mission that focuses on the expected results element solely, impacting Criterion 1.
• Removal of Criterion 4, which currently addresses the appropriateness of CME content based on learners’ scope of professional practice. This criterion is deemed redundant with elements of Criterion 2.
• Modifications to components of Criterion 7, specifically Standard 4.3 and 6.4 of the ACCME Standards for Commercial Support, disallowing the use of corporate logos from ACCME-defined commercial interests within education materials.
• A merging Criterion 12 and Criterion 13 as one, stand-alone criterion, addressing identified areas of CME program improvement based on a provider’s analysis of their CME program against their CME mission.
• Elimination of Criterion 14 and Criterion 15, as discussion and documentation of action steps for CME program improvements and the impact of changes made can be addressed by the merged Criterion 12 and 13.
• And last, but not least, changes involving the Commendation criteria.

To see the full list of proposed changes, follow this link

Proposed changes involve removing some of these criteria, which do not necessarily set providers apart as being commendable, and adding a menu of commendable practices, from which providers can choose to address, based on their CME program and the commendable work in which they may engage.

Through July 2nd, the ACCME is soliciting informal feedback from stakeholders on these proposed changes. If you have questions or would like speak more specifically about how these proposed changes many impact your CME program, please contact AOE.