Highlights

Progress continues in the evolution of ACCME’s digital hub for CME credit data. The vision – a system where CME providers can keep learner records, licensing and certifying boards can verify compliance, and physicians can find learning opportunities and access transcripts – is closer than ever to coming to fruition.

The ACCME has received valuable input from accredited providers via the Call for Comment on Digital Data Management in Accredited Continuing Education, from state licensing boards, and from key stakeholders during the Learn to Thrive 2023 conference, all of which is helping inform and lead our data strategy. We are grateful for your input. See below for information about recent developments and plans for next steps.

State Licensing Board Collaboration

On May 4, ACCME and the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) announced a joint initiative providing all state medical licensing boards access to CME credit data for their licensed physicians. This means that while 11 state licensing boards have been formally participating in a collaboration with ACCME to use PARS during re-licensure audits, all boards now have the ability to do so.

Simplifying Data Input and Uploading

ACCME understands the administrative burden associated with beginning to report learner credit data and is working on several strategies to ease that burden. One such strategy is a plan for reported MOC credits to automatically count also for CME credits, removing the burden of reporting such credits twice. A second strategy to streamline reporting is the ability to report credit just once for physicians licensed in multiple states. Additional data infrastructure improvements are in progress.

Reporting Learner Credits: Get Started

If you are wondering how to get started, perhaps take your list of learners with the information you have (MM/DD of their birthdate, state of license, and license ID), and check the list against our validation tool in ACCME’s Program and Activity Reporting System (PARS). This will help you know if we can make a match in our system, reduce rejections, and streamline the reporting process after a CME activity. Look for the “Learner Validation Tool” under Learners in PARS to submit manually, via batch upload, or web services. If you have questions or need assistance, email info@accme.org and we can walk you through the process.

Data Management Strategy

ACCME convened key stakeholders during the Learn to Thrive 2023 conference earlier this month for guidance in developing a data management strategy. Conversations from this data summit, along with input from the Call for Comment on Digital Data Management (see summary below), will inform the deliberations of the ACCME Board of Directors this July.

Call for Comment Executive Summary

On February 22, 2023, the Accredited Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) opened a call for comment on digital data management in accredited continuing education. The ACCME has been working to simplify the management of CME credits and sought comments from accredited providers on the best next steps to support that evolution and maximize participation from all providers in the digital ecosystem. Responses were accepted through April 7, 2023. There were 153 respondents to the online survey; in addition, we received responses via email. The Executive Summary includes a representative sampling of comments in support of the initiatives, common concerns about the initiative, and responses to the survey questions, in addition to tables illustrating respondent demographics and common themes to the open-ended questions posed in the survey.

For more information, read the full Call for Comment Executive Summary.