New Credit Recognizes Interprofessional Continuing Education for Healthcare Teams

Interprofessional Continuing Education Credits Designate Activities that Contribute to Improving Team Practice and Patient Care

Chicago, IL and Silver Spring, MD| September 12, 2017

Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education is pleased to announce a new, optional credit mark. Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credits for learning and change can be used by jointly accredited providers to identify activities that have been planned by and for the healthcare team.

Research has shown that IPCE makes a substantial difference to healthcare teams and the patients they serve. Joint Accreditation created the IPCE credit in recognition of these contributions and in response to requests from jointly accredited continuing education providers and learners.

The IPCE credit for learning and change will enable healthcare leaders; educators; team members; certifying, licensing, and regulatory bodies; and other healthcare stakeholders to identify activities specifically designed to improve team collaboration and patient care.

The IPCE credit builds on the foundation of Joint Accreditation. Established in 2009, Joint Accreditation sets the standards for education providers to deliver continuing education for healthcare teams. The IPCE credit mark and statement designates activities that are:

• Offered by an organization that is jointly accredited by the accreditation leaders in medicine, pharmacy, and nursing: Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, (ACPE) and American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
• Planned by the interprofessional team for the interprofessional team of learners
• Based on professional practice gaps of the healthcare team
• Independent of commercial interests
• Based on valid content
• Designed and evaluated for changes in skills, performance, or patient outcomes of the healthcare team

Additional Benefit for Healthcare Teams

The goal of IPCE credits is to create an additional benefit for educators, healthcare professionals, and the patients they serve. IPCE credits will identify team-based CE activitiesnot replace education or credits for individual professions. Activities that offer IPCE credits may also offer credits for individual professions. The IPCE credit is intended to complement other healthcare credit and metric systems. Use of the IPCE credit is optional for jointly accredited providers.

For more information, see the IPCE Credit and Joint Accreditation flyer.

Leadership Comments

“To improve patient care, safety, and quality, we need to build a collaborative learning culture that nurtures interprofessional teams. I encourage health system leaders to recognize the value of education planned by and for the healthcare team and to think about how they can leverage the power of IPCE to support their community of clinicians and patients.” Graham McMahon, MD, MMSc, President and CEO, Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME®)

“The IPCE credit for learning and change identifies activities that not only bring multiple professions together but enable professionals to learn from, about, and with each other. IPCE provides opportunities for teams to participate in collaborative lifelong learning with the common goal of addressing healthcare challenges and improving patient care.” Peter H. Vlasses, PharmD, DSc (Hon), BCPS, FCCP, Executive Director, Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)

“Our community of jointly accredited providers has demonstrably improved collaborative care among healthcare professionals and patient outcomes. The IPCE credit recognizes the value of their work and communicates to stakeholders across the health professions that activities with this designation are designed to benefit patients by building stronger teams.” Kathy Chappell, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAAN, Senior Vice President, Accreditation, Certification, Measurement, and Institute for Credentialing Research, ANCC

More Information about IPCE

By the Team for the Team: Evolving Interprofessional Continuing Education for Optimal Patient Care Report from the 2016 Joint Accreditation Leadership Summit: Download this report for more information about how IPCE contributes to improving healthcare team collaboration and patient care, including best practices, challenges, case examples, key recommendations, and data about the value and impact of IPCE. A series of videos accompanies the report, featuring educators describing their goals and accomplishments, what brings them joy and pride in their work, and advice for creating IPCE programs.

Joint Accreditation Media Inquiries

Tamar Hosansky
312-245-4066
[email protected]

Patty Harrison
312-245-4054
[email protected]

Joint Accreditation Eligibility Inquiries

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Joint Accreditation Speaking Engagements

Joint Accreditation executive leaders are available for speaking engagements to discuss the opportunities for continuing education to advance interprofessional education and collaborative practice through the Joint Accreditation program. For more information, please contact: [email protected].

Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education

Launched in 2009, Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education is a collaboration of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME®), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Joint Accreditation promotes interprofessional continuing education (IPCE) specifically designed to improve interprofessional collaborative practice in healthcare delivery. A leading model for interprofessional collaborative practice, Joint Accreditation establishes the standards for education providers to deliver continuing education planned by the healthcare team for the healthcare team.

This innovation promotes interprofessional education that leads to improved healthcare delivery and better patient outcomes. Joint Accreditation enables providers to achieve distinction from three leading healthcare continuing education accreditors; increase operational efficiency, saving time, money, and resources; provide continuing education for physicians, pharmacists, or nurses separately or together; and improve collaboration and reduce hierarchies among healthcare professions. Jointly accredited providers are entitled to award Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credits.

Jointly accredited continuing education providers must meet rigorous standards for educational quality and independenceincluding the Standards for Commercial Support: Standards to Ensure Independence in CME Activities^SM. With Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education, the ACCME, the ACPE, and the ANCC seek to assure the public that healthcare teams receive education that is designed to be independent, free from commercial bias, based on valid content, and effective in improving the quality and safety of care delivered by the team.