Redefining CME

In a session at the 2008 Alliance Annual Conference for continuing medical education (CME) professionals, the future of continuing education was discussed in depth. Some goals for the future of CME were defined as the following: content that is evidence-based, balanced funding and the elimination of bias, measurable Outcomes, activities that are relevant to practice-based learning, and continuing education professionals skilled in both practice improvement and quality improvement principles. The changing landscape of CME has caused many CME providers to transition from a role of overseer to becoming a more active participant in the process.¹

The future of continuing education, as it will be defined within the next four years, will be different for each stakeholder. These stakeholders include medical schools, state medical associations, pharmaceutical supporters, accredited medical education companies (MECs), and medical specialty societies. Let’s take a look at each of these stakeholders:

MEDICAL SCHOOLS
The goal of many CE offices in medical schools in the coming years will be the development of a competency program that links undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students. Moving forward, many hope to develop a CE mission, program and activities that complement and support practice improvement components. Activities will include Outcomes measurement. In addition, focus groups will be utilized and patient satisfaction input analyzed. These steps—medical schools hope—will bring them one step closer to the future of CME.

STATE MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONS
Many CME offices in state medical associations are changing. Training and appropriate staffing are becoming high priorities. Some associations may reevaluate the effectiveness of more budget-friendly online activities versus live activities. In addition, pharmaceutical support for many may be replaced by outside entities and provider organizations.

PHARMACEUTICAL SUPPORTERS
With most pharmaceutical companies embracing the need for transparency, most have separated their CME grant departments from sales and marketing. Pharma may have higher expectations for providers in the future. With pressure to justify the value of CME, pharmaceutical companies will expect providers to have a team of highly skilled, knowledgeable professionals who are well versed in educational design and adult learning principles and can implement educational activities with measurable Outcomes. The current trend of online grant processes will continue.

ACCREDITED MEDICAL EDUCATION COMPANIES (MECS)
In terms of funding, support from commercial interests will likely be dramatically decreased; support from other sources—including the learner—may become widely accepted. These changes in funding may bring about the increasing popularity of distance learning through online activities that include practice improvement credit, self-assessment, and point-of-care learning modalities.

MEDICAL SPECIALTY SOCIETIES
The trend of medical specialty societies in the past was a live lecture-dominated program with little or no Outcomes measurement. Additionally, external collaboration was not common. There will be a dramatic change in the CME model for medical specialty societies in the coming years. Programs will be designed to improve performance, competence and patient outcomes. Collaboration will be encouraged and Outcomes measurement will become a priority.

In order for CME to continue to evolve into a process by which performance, competence and patient outcomes are improved, CME professionals will need to improve competencies in educational design, performance and quality improvement measures, and self assessment and learning portfolios. This expertise will be necessary to provide the highest quality education for physicians working in a complex health care system.

Reference:

1. Bellande BJ, Danesh H, Yarboro E, Akinbola OB, Symmes SD. Extreme makeover: the CME office edition 2012. Presented at: 2008 Alliance Annual Conference.

Variety in Professional Credit

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