3 Most Important ACCME Mandates Changing CME Expectations

ACCME mandates are not introduced frequently, but when they are, they have a significant impact. They implement innovations, learner engagement, and compliance with Criterion 35. Mandates also contribute to providers’ abilities to meet their goals for their learners. Three ACCME mandates that are now changing CME expectations in many positive ways.

Mandate 1: Innovation

You’ve taken innovation onboard in a big way—after all, it’s an ACCME mandate. But what does that mean for your learners?

The ACCME and AMA recently adopted the proposal to simplify and align their CME expectations for CME programs for the AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.

This is good news because as a director, your goal is to increase the value of education for your learners, to keep them with you. This mandate is designed to encourage innovation and flexibility in your accredited CME, so your activities can meet those ACCME and AMA’s education standards. This simplification allows you, as a provider, to introduce and combine new instructional practices and learning formats. This will help you grow the number of members and build satisfaction. It’s also ideal for structuring your CMEs when it comes to learner engagement.

Mandate 2: Criterion 35

Part of the ACCME mandates changing CME expectations is Criterion 35. Just having a CME is one part of Criterion 35 innovation and creativity. In order to gain or maintain compliance and add innovation, you need to introduce three other new formats of activities into your CME program during your accreditation term. These include educational approaches, M&M conferences, and internet-enduring materials, like video, webinars, and podcasts. You then must describe how each innovation contributes to your ability to meet your CME mission. Through the use of an LMS technology platform, you can set your innovations into motion and develop a better relationship with your learners.

Mandate 3: Learner Engagement

This brings us to your learners’ engagement. What role does innovation play in your CME expectations? When planning for a learner CME, physicians attach the most importance to the quality of the content, followed by the degree of online accessibility and ease of use. It’s also crucial for them to gain credit for attending the course, as well as content on their own terms. Least of value to learners is having no interaction available in the material and having to download any software. Keeping all this in mind, where does your content stand?

Here are more facts about learner engagement. A recent Lena VanLiewwenborg, et al. study reported that learner engagement occurs because:

• Your learners are results oriented. They want to know why it’s important to learn something, what they have to do to learn it, and what they’ll be taught.
• They’re self-directed and want to have control over the techniques and goals throughout their learning process.
• Adults already have many personal and professional experiences. They will connect these with your content.
• They learn best when knowledge is presented in real-life situations.
• Adults show high motivation when they receive new information that helps them solve significant problems in life or work.

As a CME provider, the use of learner engagement is successful when you use education approaches that address these facts, along with specific design, assessments, and use of technology. These are the defining characteristics of every successful CME program, as well as an enterprise-grade LMS to get you there.

Use Effective Technology Designed for Today’s CME

As a CME director at a medical association or hospital, you’re concerned about staying compliant. The fact that you’re already embracing innovation and other standards is making them easier to sustain.

Your CME expectations are critical. EthosCE LMS is an enterprise-grade platform that provides CME technology solutions to a variety of leading medical associations, medical education companies, healthcare organizations, and universities. EthosCE is designed to comply with ACCME guidelines, reduce your admin team’s tasks, and produce measurable outcomes.

Using the right technology removes the roadblocks to efficient CME management. EthosCE offers the tools you need to save time and make the learners’ user experiences positive. It raises CME expectations for your learners and provides them with an easy-to-use interface with a single-sign-on (SSO) module that allows them to access multiple systems with one username and password. This LMS also provides you with video integration to real-time data access to learner outcomes, so your learners can receive the best educational experiences.

Having the Right Tools

You now know which ACCME mandates are changing CME expectations. With EthosCE, we give you the curriculum, design, and administrative tools you need in order to properly provide the proper training to your learners. That means users with positive experiences will return and new learners will come on board.

EthosCE believes CME technology solutions should be designed to improve healthcare professionals’ user experience, comply with ACCME guidelines, reduce administrative costs, and demonstrate measurable outcomes.

To learn how EthosCE can enhance the continuing education of your medical professionals, request a free 1-on-1 demo with one of our specialists today!