POSTGRADUATE INSTITUTE FOR MEDICINE

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Top 3 Reasons Content is Returned or Denied for Accreditation

Why are changes needed in order to offer credit for my educational content?

In a joint providership relationship, education planners rely on accredited providers to ensure their content meets the high standards of accreditation. An essential role of the accredited partner – specifically their clinical review team – is to ensure that the content is compliant with those standards.

As an accredited provider to more than 200 healthcare-focused organizations, PIM’s clinical review team is part of your team and can help elevate your educational content. Given their important role, there are times the clinical team may require revisions in order to approve the content for credit.

Listed below are the top 3 reasons that content may be returned for edits or not approved for credit:

  1. Preventing Bias: The ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence prohibit commercial bias and marketing within accredited education. This includes keeping educational content free of logos from ineligible entities (as defined by the ACCME), utilizing generic names when discussing therapeutic agents, and not actively promoting or selling products that are in a faculty member’s professional or financial interest

    What does this mean?

    Logos within slide decks and videos must not be from a defined ineligible entity. This includes logos in images of a device or a marketing image for a product. Further, an entire slide may be seen as promotional/bias when it comes directly from an ineligible entity. No content created by or for an ineligible entity may be used within accredited education.

    While there are limited rationales to use brand names when discussing therapeutic agents and devices, the guidance from the ACCME is to stick to generic names. If you feel a brand name is warranted within your educational content, the PIM clinical review team is glad to discuss it and ensure it is a necessary component for the education.

    While faculty may share that they wrote a book, have a podcast series, etc. Faculty may not promote these items toward financial gain such as sharing where a book may be purchased.

  2. Missing Citations: References for all patient care recommendations must include a valid reference. Consideration of the age of the reference point must be considered as well. Generally, the newer the reference, the better. References should not come from ineligible entities or sources such as Wikipedia.

    Why is this a requirement?

    Standard 1 of the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence requires all recommendations for patient care be based on current science, evidence, and clinical reasoning while giving a fair and balanced view of diagnostic and therapeutic options.

  3. Faculty Disclosures: The Standards for Integrity and Independence define individuals that have stock and/or equity in a private company to be the same as if they owned or were employed by the private company.

How does this affect my faculty and planners?

If a potential faculty member or planner has stock and/or equity in a privately held company, they may not be permitted to participate in accredited education. Our clinical review team will review the financial relationship, the business lines of the company, and compare against the topic at-hand to determine the individual’s eligibility. There are limited exceptions when the relationship is relevant for this situation and we’re glad to discuss these with you as you plan your educational activity. Financial Relationship Disclosures should be collected as early as possible so any relevant relationships can be identified and mitigated, when possible.

If content is not initially approved, is there anything that can be done to receive credit?

PIM’s clinical team will work with you to ensure that the content is appropriate to receive credit. Multiple rounds of edits may be submitted to ensure all requirements are met in order to offer credit for learners. Content should be submitted 30 days in advance to allow time for review and necessary edits. There are times, however, when content cannot be approved.

What if you are unsure and need guidance about ACCME rules and regulations?

We are here to support you. Our program managers and the clinical team will guide you through the accreditation process and ensure that you remain compliant with the rules of accreditation.

Questions about accreditation? Contact PIM at [email protected]