To protect the best interest of all parties, the ACCME generally limits communications to authorized contact persons identified by the provider. It is very important to ensure that your organization’s contact information is current and accurate.
The ACCME uses the following contact categories:
- Primary contact: the person with whom ACCME regularly communicates, frequently via email
- Billing contact: the person who processes ACCME fee payments
- Chief Executive Officer: the person in a leadership role who is ultimately responsible for the organization's ACCME accredited CME program
A provider may review and make necessary changes to their organization’s contact information in the ACCME Program and Activity Reporting System (PARS). The ACCME considers the names and contact information for providers accredited by both the ACCME and recognized state medical societies to be public information, and provides lists of these names to the public, accordingly.
If an ACCME accredited provider undergoes a corporate change, resulting, for instance, from a merger or acquisition, the ACCME expects to be made aware of the change as soon as possible so that the ACCME can work through the transition with the organization.
Keep in mind that the ACCME accreditation was awarded to the organization that sought the accreditation and was able to demonstrate compliance with accreditation requirements. For this reason, an organization cannot become an accredited provider by purchasing or merging with an organization that is already accredited.
Similarly, when an accredited provider undergoes significant organizational change, for example, becoming owned by an ineligible company the ACCME considers the provider to be significantly different than the organization that was accredited. The ACCME will expect the provider to cease providing CME as an ACCME accredited provider. The ACCME will set a date of Nonaccreditation for these providers. The ACCME’s Corporate Structure Review process is in place to assist organizations in determining whether they may be an ineligible company. Click here for more information.
The ACCME will also withdraw a provider’s accreditation if the provider is dissolved or ceases to exist as a result of a merger, acquisition or dissolution.
When two or more ACCME accredited providers merge, the ACCME will consider that all but one of the accredited providers will cease to exist as an entity. The name of the remaining provider may be changed to reflect or include the name(s) of the former provider(s). The remaining provider must assume responsibility for unfinished CME activities and/or unexpired enduring materials of the provider(s) with which it merged, and must maintain activity registration records for six years for the provider(s) with which it merged.
The ACCME considers the names of providers that are no longer accredited due to corporate change to be public information, and provides lists of these names to the public, accordingly.
New providers created through corporate change must submit a pre-application as a first step towards initial ACCME accreditation.
A provider that wishes to voluntarily withdraw from ACCME accreditation must notify the ACCME in writing of its intent to do so, indicating the specific date when withdrawal is to become effective and providing a brief explanation of the reason for withdrawal.
The ACCME will immediately discontinue the process leading to a reaccreditation decision upon receipt of notification of intent to withdraw. For ACCME's reaccreditation fee refund policy, please see: Accreditation Fee Schedule.
Payment of the annual fee and completion of year-end reporting requirements for the final year of accreditation is necessary to maintain accreditation in any portion of a calendar year subsequent to notification of withdrawal.
After the effective date of withdrawal:
- The organization will no longer be accredited;
- The organization’s name will be removed from the ACCME’s list of accredited providers; and
- The organization may not use the ACCME accreditation statement in association with any CME activity, either currently in circulation or planned for presentation or distribution.
It is the ACCME’s expectation that accredited providers will plan and execute withdrawal from ACCME accreditation in a manner that meets all obligations and commitments to learners, educational partners, and all other stakeholders.
Organizations may apply for ACCME accreditation at any time after withdrawal. The organization’s application will be reviewed with the same considerations applied to other initial applicants and under the policies and requirements in effect at that time.