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FAQ
Can I use the same content repeated at different times for different groups of learners to count towards meeting the critical elements and standards in the commendation criteria?
It depends on the criterion.
Frequency: Some of the criteria standards require that providers attest to meeting the criterion in a number or… More
FAQ
What is the basic framework for CME activities that count for Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Improvement Activities?
Any accredited CME activity can be an Improvement Activity if it:
- addresses a quality or safety gap;
- uncovers educational needs that—when addressed—can help close the gap;
- articulates what your participation in the activity seeks to improve;
- includes… More
FAQ
What measures will the ACCME accept as evidence of the improvement of healthcare quality for the Improves Healthcare Quality Criterion? Do the measures need to be evidence-based?
The Improves Healthcare Quality Criterion is an opportunity for ACCME to recognize and reward the contribution of a provider’s CME program to improving care processes and system performance. The provider can use quality measures that are validated by outside sources and/or measures that are… More
FAQ
Is collaboration in the process of healthcare quality improvement in the Improves Healthcare Quality Criterion limited to a single institution where care is provided?
No, collaboration is not limited to a single institution. Collaboration can occur within, or in connection with, a healthcare institution such as a hospital or health system, but it can also occur more broadly across systems of care. The ACCME interprets "system performance" broadly and the CME… More
FAQ
What kinds of educational outcomes count for the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Improvement Activity: Completion of an Accredited Safety or Quality Improvement Program?
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) expects that Completion of an Accredited Safety or Quality Improvement Program “include data collection and analysis of performance data to assess the impact of the interventions.” As the accredited CME provider, you can determine what… More
FAQ
What are the expectations for the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Improvement Activity: Completion of an Accredited Safety or Quality Improvement Program?
The criteria are:
- The activity must address a quality or safety gap that is supported by a needs assessment or problem analysis, or must support the completion of such a needs assessment as part of the activity;
- The activity must have specific, measurable aim(s) for… More
FAQ
I use a follow-up survey as a measurement tool. Do I need to measure improvement in the majority of survey respondents or the majority of total learners to comply with the Improves Performance Criterion?
For the Improves Performance Criterion, the majority of learners whose performance has improved would be calculated based on those learners who respond to the follow-up survey. The provider should ensure there are appropriate mechanisms in place to optimize the response rate. Note that providers… More
FAQ
What if my learners demonstrate that they stopped doing something known to be ineffective? Can we report that as an "improvement" to meet the expectation of the Improves Performance Criterion?
Yes. If your goal was to get your learners to decrease or stop a practice, for example, prescribing a certain drug or ordering a test, and they do make those changes – then, that would meet the expectations of "improvement" for the Improves Performance Criterion.
FAQ
If our organization meets the expectations of the Improves Healthcare Quality Criterion, does that automatically mean we've met the expectations of the Improves Performance Criterion?
Not necessarily. Strategies to meet the expectations of the Improves Healthcare Quality Criterion do not necessarily include the demonstration of improved learner performance of (the Improves Performance Criterion).
FAQ
When calculating the majority of learners whose performance improved for the Improves Performance Criterion, do all the learners have to be physicians?
No. The expectation of the Improves Performance Criterion is that the provider measures and demonstrates performance improvement for any learners (physicians or other learners) who participate in the accredited educational activities.