The ACCME is committed to simplifying the application process for providers who hold or seek to attain multiple accreditations. To this end, the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Accreditation Program offer "Accreditation of Continuing Education Planned by the Team for the Team." To learn more about the Joint Accreditation process, click here.
Joint Accreditation Criteria
An organization’s status and term as an accredited provider of continuing education for the health care team is based on demonstrated compliance with the following criteria:
Mission and Overall Program Improvement
1. The accredited provider has a continuing education (CE) mission statement that highlights education for the health care team as part of their purpose, content areas, target audience, type of activities and expected results, with the expected results articulated in terms of changes in skills/strategy, performance, or patient outcomes of the health care team.
2. The provider gathers data or information and conducts a program-based analysis on the degree to which the CE mission of the provider has been met through the conduct of CE activities/educational interventions. Based on that analysis:
a. The provider identifies, plans and implements the needed or desired changes in the overall program (e.g., planners, teachers, infrastructure, methods, resources, facilities, interventions) that are required to improve on ability to meet the CE mission.
b. The provider demonstrates that identified program changes or improvements, that are required to improve on the provider’s ability to meet the CE mission, are underway or completed.
c. The provider demonstrates that the impacts of program improvements, that are required to improve on the provider’s ability to meet the CE mission, are measured.
3. The provider operates in a manner that integrates CE into the process for improving the professional practice of the health care team.
Activity Planning and Evaluation
4. The provider incorporates into CE activities the educational needs (knowledge, skills/strategy, or performance) that underlie the practice gaps of the health care team and/or the individual members of the health care team.
5. The provider generates activities/educational interventions that are designed to change the skills/strategy, performance, or patient outcomes of the health care team as described in its mission statement.
6. The provider generates activities/educational interventions around valid content that matches the health care team’s current or potential scope of professional activities.
7. The provider chooses educational formats for activities/interventions that are appropriate for the setting, objectives and desired results of the activity.
8. The provider develops activities/educational interventions in the context of desirable attributes of the health care team (e.g., Institute of Medicine competencies, professional competencies, health care team competencies).
9. The provider develops activities/educational interventions that are independent of commercial interests (ACCME Standards for Commercial SupportSM), including the:
a. Identification, resolution and disclosure of relevant financial relationships of all individuals who control the content of the continuing education activity;
b. Appropriate management of commercial support (if applicable).
c. Maintenance of the separation of promotion from education (if applicable).
d. Promotion of improvements in health care and NOT proprietary interests of a commercial interest.
10. The provider utilizes educational support strategies to enhance change as an adjunct to its educational interventions (e.g., reminders, patient feedback).
11. The provider identifies factors outside the provider’s control that impact on patient outcomes.
12. The provider implements educational strategies to remove, overcome, or address barriers to change for the health care team.
13. The provider analyzes changes in the health care team (skills/strategy, performance, or patient outcomes) achieved as a result of the overall program’s activities/educational interventions.
14. The provider maintains and reports required data and information about the continuing education that is delivered during its current term of accreditation.
ACCME/ACPE/ANCC Policies for Jointly Accredited Providers
1. The accreditation statement must appear on all education materials and brochures distributed by the jointly accredited organization that indicate appropriate continuing education ‘credit’ will be awarded for completion of the activity. The accreditation statement to be used is:
“In support of improving patient care, the ____________ is accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), to provide continuing education for the health care team.”
When an activity has been planned, implemented and evaluated by two or more organizations and one of the organizations has been jointly accredited, the accreditation statement to be used is:
“This activity has been planned and implemented by _________ and ____________ for the advancement of patient care. _____________ is accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), to provide continuing education for the health care team.”
The accreditation must stand alone from any other statement.
2. In addition to the Joint Accreditation Criteria, enduring materials must communicate the following information to participants prior to the learner starting the educational activity:
a) Principal faculty and their credentials;
b) Medium or combination of media used;
c) Method of learner participation in the learning process;
d) Estimated time to complete the education activity;
e) Date of release and latest review;
f) Continuing education credit that will be awarded; and
g) Termination date (date after which enduring material is no longer certified for credit).
3. Jointly accredited providers are accountable for timely submission of fees to each accrediting body that are required to attain or maintain accreditation.
4. Jointly accredited providers are accountable for timely submission of information, such as annual reports and activity data, requested by any of the accrediting bodies.
5. ACCME, ACPE, and ANCC reserve the right to publish on their web sites all public information. Public information includes:
a) Names and contact information for jointly accredited providers;
b) Accreditation status of jointly accredited provider; and
c) Any other data/information that the accrediting bodies believe qualifies as ‘public information.’
6. When logos are used in association with continuing health care education provided by the jointly accredited organization, the logos of all three accrediting bodies (ACCME, ACPE, ANCC) must be used. The logos may be used for educational and identification purposes. They may also be used in announcements related to an organization’s attainment of joint accreditation. When used, the logos of ACCME, ACPE, and ANCC must be smaller than the logo of the accredited organization and must be used in conjunction with the logo of the accredited organization. While logos may be resized, they must be used in the proportions provided.
7. The governing bodies of the accrediting entities granting joint accreditation reserve the right to request information for oversight purposes or continuous quality improvement as needed. The jointly accredited organization is expected to respond to these requests in a timely manner.
8. Activity files must be retained by the jointly accredited organization for six years following provision of the educational activity.
9. Jointly accredited organizations must inform the accrediting bodies –ACCME, ACPE, ANCC – of any changes in ownership or structure within six weeks of such change.
10. The accrediting bodies – ACCME, ACPE and ANCC – may share information about jointly accredited providers with each other as needed.
Related Information
ACCME Policies
