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Promoting Change

Can a provider allow oral or written reporting of scientific research by an employee of a commercial interest during a CME activity?
Yes, as long as the CME activity complies with the ACCME's Accreditation Criteria, including the ACCME® Standards for Commercial SupportSM. It is understood and accepted that industry conducts its own...
What is the ACCME's definition of "competence" as it relates to the Accreditation Criteria?
Criterion 1 says, "expected results articulated in terms of changes in competence, performance, or patient outcomes that will be the result of the program." What definition of "competence" is ACCME...
C1 and C3 refer to changes in "competence, performance, or patient outcomes" but C2 refers to educational need in terms of "knowledge, competence, or performance." Can CME providers offer activities that are designed to change knowledge?
Yes. CME providers can offer activities designed to change knowledge. The emphasis now is on the CME provider knowing the "educational needs that underlie the professional practice gaps of their...
How does the ACCME expect small providers to produce data on patient outcomes and evaluate the impact of CME on patient outcomes?
The ACCME does not require accredited providers to measure patient outcomes -- neither in their CME Mission (Criterion 1), activity planning (Criterion 3), nor evaluation of CME activities (Criterion 11)....
What else did the FDA specify to opioid manufacturers about how this mandate for prescribers should be implemented in the REMS?
The FDA has asked the manufacturers to submit their proposed REMS to the FDA for approval. Of direct relevance to ACCME-accredited providers is the FDA's instruction to manufacturers that the...
Can you explain how Criteria 2, 3, and 11 support CME activity planning to change competence, performance, or patient outcomes?
In Criterion 3, ACCME is looking for the providers to proactively design their educational activities to address competence, performance or patient outcome issues. This is about objectives. This is the...
Are knowledge-based CME activities compliant with ACCME Accreditation Criteria requirements?
Providers frequently ask us whether or not a knowledge-based activity is fair and in compliance with ACCME’s requirements. They ask us this because in the mission statement, in Criterion 2,...
What are the ACCME’s expectations for “analyzing changes” achieved as a result of the CME program’s activities?
Criterion 11 is about being a reflective educational practitioner. Criterion 11 is about analyzing and synthesizing information. It’s about coming to conclusions about the success of your set of educational...
How should I approach evaluating the effectiveness of a CME activity?
There’s a lot of ways to make these measurements that I’m talking about. There’s a whole world of psychometrics where wonderfully crafted multiple choice questions, large numbers of them written...
Can you explain the ACCME 2006 Accreditation Criteria as it relates to a provider's process for continuous quality improvement?
The 2006 Accreditation Criteria are about the improvement of your continuing medical education program, as well as the improvement that you’re trying to assist your learners with. Shewhart and Deming...
Can you explain how a provider may “operate in a manner that integrates CME in to the process for improving professional practice?”
The key words in Criterion 16 is about improving professional practice. Now, all of the criteria and all of your continuing medical education is linked to professional practice gaps. So,...
How can I make it easier to engage my stakeholders in the planning of accredited CME activities?
We at the ACCME spend a lot of time face-to-face with our accredited providers, providing educational support, explaining our process, and explaining our requirements. One of the messages that we’ve...