About the Rule
Rationale
Research has shown that accredited CME can be an effective tool for improving individuals’ and groups’ performance in practice. This criterion recognizes providers that can demonstrate the impact of their CME program on the performance of individual learners or groups.
Critical Elements
- Measures performance changes of learners AND
- Demonstrates improvements in the performance of learners
The Standard
- Attest to meeting this criterion in at least 10% of activities (but no less than two) during the accreditation term.
- At review, submit evidence for this number of activities:*
- S: 2; M: 4; L: 6; XL: 8
- *Program Size by Activities per Term: S (small): <39; M (medium): 40 -100; L (large): 101-250; XL (extra large): >250
Key Concepts and Definitions
Key Concept:
In the Improves Performance Criterion, change in performance refers to measured changes in a learner’s or learners’ behavior (e.g., higher patient communication ratings, fewer coding errors, greater participation in team meetings, more appropriate prescribing, etc.). Providers can set their own specific goals and targets for the performance improvement objective. The provider can also choose the most appropriate mechanisms to measure performance change, and how much change in learners is acceptable. The standard, target, and performance improvement that is measured or reported should be consequential in relation to the objectives. The improvement data may emerge from self-reported changes, from practice-level data, or other sources. Improvements in knowledge and plans to change performance would not meet the expectation of this criterion.
Key Concept:
While it is not required to measure change in every learner, the majority of learners in whom change is measured must demonstrate improvement to meet the critical elements of this criterion.
