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Accreditation with Commendation – How We Did It
Accreditation with Commendation Decisions for 3 Clients – How We Did It
Three of Vivacity Consulting clients recently received Accreditation with Commendation from the ACCME and from MAG (the ACCME state-accreditor for Georgia). Although the clients are substantially different – one is a large specialty society, one is a medium specialty society, and one is a large Children’s hospital – the strategy that we followed was similar for all three.
1. Focus on the Required Areas of Compliance First
You cannot receive Commendation unless you achieve compliance with Criteria 1-13 and the ACCME’s policies. Most importantly these days, this includes the Standards for Commercial Support. (NOTE: If you have not already improved your COI system, do so now! It should be as close to perfect as possible for your most recent activities at the minimum.)
2. Discuss Commendation Criteria Everywhere
In all three instances, we translated the criteria into plain English and then showed them around the organization. In one case, we held formal conference calls with other Department heads to discuss ways in which the society might be meeting these expectations. In another, we talked about it informally with staff and Committee members. In both instances, the Education Departments learned about endeavors that could be useful both to the Commendation criteria but also as it related to the mission of the Department. The ACCME encourages collaboration with other organizations but it turns out, obtaining commendation can happen when you improve collaboration internally.
3. Look at the Compendium
This is a no-brainer, but really study the ACCME’s examples published here. In some instances, it might spark an idea that you didn’t already have. (It is also a great idea to review these examples regularly for the mandatory criteria as well.) Reviewing these examples leads to my next point …
4. Plan Early for Commendation
It’s never too early to plan for Commendation! If you notice that your organization does something that meets an element of compliance, add it to your ACCME Reaccreditation file.
But more importantly, assess areas in which your organization might be missing the mark and determine ways that you could potentially bolster your program. It’s amazing, but the ACCME developed the Commendation criteria for a reason. It turns out that, for example, implementing non-educational strategies to foster change after an educational activity (such as sending reminder emails or Tweets about the changes that were suggested) really does make your program better and your learners more likely to make that change.
Which, in the end, is the whole point of all of this!
[The ACCME is expected to release updated Commendation Criteria in 2015. Vivacity will update this blog post, if necessary, once they do so.]
Who Me, Provide MOC?
Steps to Provide MOC to Your Learners
MOC. It’s everywhere in the medical education world! Physicians seem to hate it, your colleagues are confused by it, and you have a mandate from your director to “figure it out.” Where to start?
1. Visit the ABMS website.
http://www.abms.org/Maintenance_of_Certification/
Of particular interest are the pages entitled, “The Value of MOC” and “ABMS Evidence Library.” These pages include information that will help you understand and provide evidence to demonstrate that a Maintenance of Certification program does link to improved clinical performance and outcomes.
2. Review the Four Parts to MOC.
If you work in a CME Office, you are probably being asked to provide CME that meets Part II or Part IV requirements for MOC.  Part II is life-long learning and self-assessment or, “Educational and self-assessment programs determined by your Member Board.” Part IV is practice performance assessment or, “Demonstrate your use of best evidence and practices compared to peers and national benchmarks.”
Part II can sometimes be accomplished through the addition of an assessment at the conclusion of an activity.
Part IV is sometimes accomplished in conjunction with the Quality Department, if you have one at your institution. Many medical specialty societies have launched Part IV programs (visit ASTRO’s website to see an example that satisfies the American Board of Radiology’s requirements.)
3. Visit the relevant Board website.
Depending on the specialty, every Board has their own rules.
This is where it may get more complicated. Some Boards, such as the American Board of Pediatrics, have a formal application for approval for 1 program at a time. Other Boards, such as the American Board of Surgery, allow providers to demonstrate compliance with their requirements.
4. Consider a vendor.
Many vendors provide useful services to simplify this for your learners. I have investigated many and have found a few that I really like. You can demo one vendor, the World Continuing Education Alliance, by accessing my free educational site here. You can create a free account and play around with the system. Let me know if you have any questions!
Vivacity Consulting Invited to Present at 2015 ACEHP
Ms. Schwarz to Present at the 2015 ACEhp Meeting
Ms. Schwarz has been invited to present two times at the ACEhp (Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions) Conference in Grapevine, Texas, January 14 – 17, 2015.
Ms. Schwarz will participate as part of a panel entitled, “Mapping Success for the Learner, the Supporter, and the Organization” on Thursday, January 15th at 1:15 pm with the following co-presenters:
Content Development
Kristen Flemming, Manager, Self-Assessment and CME Publications, Endocrine Society
Erin Schwarz, CEO, Vivacity Consulting
Faculty Management
Claire MacDonald, Associate Director, Clinical Education, Endocrine Society
Pam Beaton, BS, CCMEP, Manager, Educational Accreditation and Certification, American College of Chest Physicians
Outcomes Reporting
Dennis R. Harris, PhD, Manager, Educational Research and Outcomes, Endocrine Society
Erik Brady, PhD, CCMEP, Director of Analytics, Reporting and Outcomes, Clinical Care Options, LLC
Program Assessment
Tonya McFadden, Manager, CME Accreditation and Practice Improvement, Endocrine Society
Derek Dietze, MA, FACEHP, CCMEP, Improve CME, LLC
In addition, Ms. Schwarz will present an abstract during the Research Abstract Cluster #2 entitled, “A Comprehensive Process for Identifying and Managing Conflicts of Interest Reduced Perceived Bias at a Specialty Society Annual Meeting.” This presentation will take place on Friday, January 16th at 9:45 am.
Please contact Ms. Schwarz for more information about these presentations.
Quality Improvement (QI) and Me
Stretch Assignment: 5 toe touches and a QI Initiative
We CME professionals often go about our day, working feverishly to ensure compliance for upcoming events and to finish the file for completed events. We all know that there is change brewing in healthcare, but if we have a chance to think about the big picture, it may not include the idea that quality improvement (QI) is in our wheelhouse. Well, some have suggested IF NOT US, THEN WHO?!Â
Remember: the ACCME/IMQ requirements are not just rules we have to follow. They are designed to facilitate the planning of education which will enable/inspire physicians to do their jobs better.
During a recent webinar regarding the ACEhp’s Education Initiative, Jack Kues defined quality improvement as the process by which current practice is moved towards best practice. Isn’t that what we CME professionals do all day, every day?
In the same webinar, Robin King stated that we need to remember to help practitioners implement best practices in their practice setting if we are going to initiate any change. This is our stretch assignment, because although we think about barriers to implementation, how many of us actively plan to address these barriers? We still buy-in to Francis Bacon’s statement that knowledge is power. (He was an Elizabethan from the 17th century. We now know it takes more than knowledge to change behavior.)Â
As we CME professionals take ownership of this QI issue, or at least, an appropriate portion of the ownership, we can be part of the change. I’m ready. Are you?
CME Consultant Musings: If I Ruled the World
Caution: CME Consultant at Work
If I ruled the world, educational activity objectives would be measurable every time. The word “understand” would be outlawed.
If I ruled the world, disclosure forms would be turned in 2 weeks BEFORE the deadline, completely filled out, signed and dated.
If I ruled the world, all of my activity data would batch upload into PARS at the ACCME the first time.
If I ruled the world, hospital IT departments would seamlessly allow emails about upcoming CME activities to flow, and would allow CME staff to participate in webinars using any webinar software the vendor suggests.
If I ruled the world, every ACCME Progress Report and IMQ Interim Report issued would also come with a box of See’s Candy dark chocolate covered mint patties. (That’s only fair.)
If I ruled the world, every Quality Department in the hospital would talk to the staff in the Medical Education office and figure out how they could help each other reach their goals.
If I ruled the world, the public would understand that continuing medical education is NOT a vehicle to get more money into doctor’s pockets but instead the best possible way to ensure health professionals are providing best-practice, evidence-based care to them and their loved ones.
Whoops, there’s that word understand. I guess I would outlaw that word for everyone but me, if I ruled the world!
(Musing:Â A product of contemplation; a thought.)
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