Reaccreditation
ACCME makes accreditation decisions three times per year, typically in March, July and December. We will initiate this process with your organization and we are here to help you successfully achieve reaccreditation. The timeline and major provider milestones are depicted below in a step-by-step illustration of the reaccreditation process.
Reaccreditation Process
Notification
Notifications will be directed to your organization’s designated primary contact. Please use the ACCME’s Program and Activity Reporting System (PARS) to ensure that contact information is current and accurate. Log into PARS here. If you have questions about the PARS login process, please contact the ACCME.
Confirming Your Intent to Apply for Reaccreditation
To initiate the reaccreditation process, you’ll be asked to complete a Confirmation of Intent form in PARS to confirm that your organization intends to seek reaccreditation and to attest to your intent to continue to follow the ACCME’s Accreditation Criteria, Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, and policies and agree to fulfill the responsibilities associated with being an ACCME-accredited provider.
Performance-in-Practice Review
The ACCME’s performance-in-practice review allows providers to demonstrate compliance with the ACCME’s requirements at the CME activity level.
Facilitating the data collection and review of performance-in-practice requires:
- The provider’s submission of CME activity data. Please use the ACCME’s Program and Activity Reporting System (PARS) to submit currently available information about the CME activities your organization has provided, or will provide, during its current accreditation term under the umbrella of your ACCME accreditation statement.
- The ACCME’s selection of activities for performance-in-practice review. Based on the CME activity data you provide to the ACCME, the ACCME will select up to 15 activities for review. The ACCME will notify your primary contact when the activities for review have been selected and Performance-in-Practice Structured Abstract forms are available for your organization’s review and submission on your PARS dashboard. Providers are accountable for demonstrating performance-in-practice for all the activities selected.
Self-Study Report
All providers seeking ACCME reaccreditation are required to submit a Self-Study report for reaccreditation. The ACCME uses the Self-Study report to evaluate the provider’s ability to fulfill its educational mission effectively and comply with the ACCME’s Accreditation Criteria, Standards for Integrity and Independence, and policies.
Interview
Currently accredited providers seeking reaccreditation must participate in an ACCME interview. The interview provides an opportunity for your organization to discuss your CME program and your organization’s policies and practices to ensure compliance with ACCME’s Accreditation Criteria, including the Standards for Integrity and Independence and Accreditation Policies.
For Provisionally Accredited Providers: Activity Review
Provisionally accredited organizations must have a CME activity reviewed, which entails the observation of one of your organization’s CME activities, of any format, by an ACCME volunteer surveyor or ACCME staff. These requirements must be fulfilled as a part of your organization’s initial accreditation review process or as part of your organization’s subsequent reaccreditation review process to be eligible to advance from Provisional Accreditation to Accreditation. The Activity Review requirement is separate from and in addition to the standard performance-in-practice review process. Observations for the activity review will be recorded in the ACCME Activity Review Form and will be considered along with the other materials and evidence supporting the accreditation review process leading to your organization’s reaccreditation decision.
Deadlines
If your organization is unable to meet the ACCME’s accreditation process deadlines, you may request a one-time extension of your current accreditation term. If your request is approved, your current accreditation term will be extended approximately four months to the next ACCME decision cycle, and your accreditation review will be conducted in the subsequent decision cohort. The standard extension fee will apply (see Accreditation Fee Schedule).
Determining Your Cohort Timeline
Refer to the expiration date of your organization’s current accreditation term to determine which decision cohort you are in. For example, if your organization’s current term expires July 31, 2023, then you are in the July 2023 decision cohort. Use the steps below to deduce an approximate due date for each milestone.
| Month 1 | Notification of Your TimelinesWe will send you an email notification with your cohort assignment and action deadlines. |
| Month 2 | Complete Your Confirmation Form and Update Your CME Activity DataYou’ll complete the Confirmation of Intent form in the Program and Activity Reporting System (PARS) to confirm you will seek reaccreditation. You’ll update your CME activity data for the current reporting year in PARS. |
| Month 3 | Notification of Activities Selected for Review; Self Study Forms AvailableWe'll send you an email listing the activities we've selected for your Performance-in-Practice review. We'll send you another email notifying you that Self-Study and Performance-in-Practice (PIP) forms are available in PARS. |
| Month 4 | Select Date for Your Accreditation InterviewWe will send you an email alerting you that your interview date and time options are available in PARS and you'll select one of these options. |
| Month 6 | Submit Your Self-Study Report and PIP FormsYou'll submit your completed Self-Study Report and PIP forms. |
| Month 8-10 | Accreditation InterviewYou'll participate in an interview with ACCME surveyors to provide clarification about the materials you submitted and your CME program. |
| Month 13 | Notification of Your Accreditation DecisionWe will send you an email notifying you that your accreditation decision is available in PARS. |
