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Accreditation Criteria

The Accreditation Criteria are divided into three levels. To achieve Provisional Accreditation, a two year term, providers must comply with Criteria (1, 2, 3, and 7–12). Providers seeking full Accreditation or reaccreditation for a four-year term must comply with Criteria (1–15). To achieve Accreditation with Commendation, a six-year term, providers must comply with all 22 Criteria. 

Essential Area 1: Purpose and Mission

Criterion 1
The provider has a CME mission statement that includes all of the basic components (CME purpose, content areas, target audience, type of activities, expected results) with expected results articulated in terms of changes in competence, performance, or patient outcomes that will be the result of the program.

Essential Area 2: Education & Planning

Criterion 2
The provider incorporates into CME activities the educational needs (knowledge, competence, or performance) that underlie the professional practice gaps of their own learners.
Criterion 3
The provider generates activities/educational interventions that are designed to change competence, performance, or patient outcomes as described in its mission statement.
Criterion 4
The provider generates activities/educational interventions around content that matches the learners' current or potential scope of professional activities.
Criterion 5
The provider chooses educational formats for activities/interventions that are appropriate for the setting, objectives, and desired results of the activity.
Criterion 6
The provider develops activities/educational interventions in the context of desirable physician attributes [eg, Institute of Medicine (IOM) competencies, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Competencies].
Criterion 7
The provider develops activities/educational interventions independent of commercial interests. (SCS 1, 2, and 6).
Criterion 8
The provider appropriately manages commercial support (if applicable, SCS 3 of the ACCME Standards for Commercial SupportSM).
Criterion 9
The provider maintains a separation of promotion from education (SCS 4).
Criterion 10
The provider actively promotes improvements in health care and NOT proprietary interests of a commercial interest (SCS 5).

Essential Area 3: Evaluation and Improvement

Criterion 11
The provider analyzes changes in learners (competence, performance, or patient outcomes) achieved as a result of the overall program's activities/educational interventions.
Criterion 12
The provider gathers data or information and conducts a program-based analysis on the degree to which the CME mission of the provider has been met through the conduct of CME activities/educational interventions. 
Criterion 13
The provider identifies, plans and implements the needed or desired changes in the overall program (eg, planners, teachers, infrastructure, methods, resources, facilities, interventions) that are required to improve on ability to meet the CME mission.
Criterion 14
The provider demonstrates that identified program changes or improvements, that are required to improve on the provider's ability to meet the CME mission, are underway or completed.
Criterion 15
The provider demonstrates that the impacts of program improvements, that are required to improve on the provider's ability to meet the CME mission, are measured.

Accreditation with Commendation

Criterion 16
The provider operates in a manner that integrates CME into the process for improving professional practice.
Criterion 17
The provider utilizes non-education strategies to enhance change as an adjunct to its activities/educational interventions (e.g., reminders, patient feedback).
Criterion 18
The provider identifies factors outside the provider's control that impact on patient outcomes.
Criterion 19
The provider implements educational strategies to remove, overcome or address barriers to physician change.
Criterion 20
The provider builds bridges with other stakeholders through collaboration and cooperation.
Criterion 21
The provider participates within an institutional or system framework for quality improvement.
Criterion 22
The provider is positioned to influence the scope and content of activities/educational interventions.