The Content Provider

When content for a continuing medical education program is developed, it needs to be reviewed by experts in the particular field the training covers. This review ensures that the information delivered is accurate, and it should be presented by faculty who have expertise in that field. For this reason, health care professionals need to avoid any programs that have a financial relationship with the faculty member responsible for reviewing or delivering the material unless they are willing to disclose the nature of that relationship. This transparency helps to minimize any bias a continuing medical education provider may have when it comes to their own products.

Continuing Medical Education in History

Continuing medical education requirements are not new. Since the introduction of teaching hospitals and medical colleges, health care professionals have been meeting with others in the field to discuss treatments that worked and those that did not, new prescription medications, and more. In addition, they would do rounds and engage in case discussions to share what they had learned with each other about certain patients and their cases. Meetings would also be held to discuss medical papers recently published, and all helped to ensure those in the field continued to learn and master their craft. These teaching techniques continue today.

Pharmaceutical companies, from the 1950s to 1980s, played a role in continuing medical education, as they often funded events for those in the health care industry. Over time, however, critics began to question this funding, expressing concern over an informational bias of intentional and unintentional types. Due to these concerns, certifying agencies were then established, including the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education and the Pharmaceutical Advertising Advisory Board.

Current Continuing Medical Education Requirements

The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) among others regulate current continuing medical education in the United States. Most states now have requirements in place for health care professionals to maintain their current licenses. Courses are offered through a variety of organizations, including hospitals, educational facilities, professional associations, home study providers, and medical education companies. Some fall under the Formal Learning Activities category, such as live planned programs, Informal-Point of Care research, and Process Improvement continuing medical education. In addition, journal clubs often meet these requirements, as they involve the evaluation of published research to increase mutual awareness, and some professionals opt to engage in Internet-based professional communities to obtain continuing medical education credit.

The Role of Industry Sponsorship

When supporting Impact Education, LLC's, continuing medical education activities, grantors know they are funding programs and materials offered in collaboration with the provider's joint sponsors. The activities are certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. All offerings come free of charge and have been created to meet the needs of primary care providers, physician specialists, and medical directors in the managed care/payer setting. Timely, important topics are covered in multiple formats to meet the needs of all, including on-demand, live, and print-based continuing medical education. For more information about our medical education activities, contact Impact Education, LLC, today.

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