A
- ACCME Recognized Accreditors
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State and territory medical societies recognized by the ACCME as accreditors of intrastate providers. To achieve recognition, a state or territory medical society must meet the ACCME requirements, the Makers of Equivalency.
- Activity
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An education event, which is based upon the educational needs that underlie the practice gaps of the healthcare team and/or the individual members of the healthcare team. Activities are based on valid content and are independent of commercial interests. Activities are designed to change the skills/strategy, or performance of the healthcare team, or patient outcomes as described in the organization's mission statement.
- ANCC Accredited Approvers
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An eligible organization credentialed by ANCC after having submitted to an in-depth analysis to determine its capacity to assess and monitor other organizations’ compliance with ANCC accreditation criteria that support the provision of quality CNE activities, as well as approve those educational activities offered by other organizations or individuals in compliance with ANCC accreditation criteria.
C
- Collaborative Practice
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When multiple health workers from different professional backgrounds provide comprehensive services by working with patients, their families, carers and communities to deliver the highest quality of care across settings.¹
¹ Interprofessional Education Collaborative Expert Panel. (2011). Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice: Report of an Expert Panel. Washington, D.C.; Interprofessional Education Collaborative.
- Commercial Interest
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See ineligible company.
- Commercial Support
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Financial or in-kind support from an ineligible company that is used to pay all or part of the costs of a continuing education (CE) activity. The requirements for receiving and managing commercial support are explained in the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, specifically Standard 4: Manage Commercial Support Appropriately.
F
- Financial Relationships
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Accredited providers must collect information from all planners, faculty, and others in control of educational content about all their financial relationships with ineligible companies within the prior 24 months. There is no minimum financial threshold; individuals must disclose all financial relationships, regardless of the amount, with ineligible companies. Individuals must disclose financial relationships with ineligible companies regardless of their view of the relevance of the relationship to the education. See also Relevant Financial Relationships.
I
- Ineligible Company
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Companies that are ineligible to receive Joint Accreditation (ineligible companies) are those whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.
- Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (IPCP) “Healthcare team”
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When multiple health workers from different professional backgrounds work together with patients, families, carers [sic], and communities to deliver the highest quality of care.²
² World Health Organization (WHO). (2010). Framework for action on interprofessional education & collaborative practice. Geneva: World Health Organization.
- Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE)
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Interprofessional continuing education (IPCE) is when members from two or more professions learn with, from, and about each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes (ACCME, ACPE, ANCC, 2015).
- Interprofessional Education (IPE)
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When students from two or more professions learn about, from and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes.³
³ Interprofessional Education Collaborative Expert Panel. (2011). Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice: Report of an Expert Panel. Washington, D.C.; Interprofessional Education Collaborative.
J
- Joint Accreditation
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A voluntary process in which an institution, organization or agency submits to an in-depth analysis to determine its capacity to provide quality continuing education for the healthcare team in accord with the Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education® criteria.
- Joint Accreditation Review Committee (Joint ARC)
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Committee comprised equally of representatives from ACCME, ACPE, and ANCC that participate in the process of accreditation review for organizations seeking Joint Accreditation. Recommendations made by the Joint ARC will be forwarded for final decision to the governing boards of ACCME, ACPE, and ANCC.
- Jointly Accredited Provider
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The institution or organization that is jointly accredited by the ACCME, ACPE, and ANCC to present continuing education activities.
M
- Mission
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A statement that highlights education for the healthcare team with expected results articulated in terms of changes in skills/strategy, or performance of the healthcare team, or patient outcomes.
O
- Objectives
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Statements that describe what the learner can expect to know or do after the completion of the CE activity. Objectives are preferably written in behavioral terminology and should suggest outcome measures for a program’s success or effectiveness.
P
- Program
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The overall continuing education (CE) activities of an accredited provider.
- Program Evaluation
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Evaluation process in which the provider gathers data or information and conducts a program-based analysis on the degree to which it CE mission has been met through the conduct of CE activities/educational interventions.
- Progress Report
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Jointly accredited providers that receive noncompliance findings in one or more of the Joint Accreditation Criteria must submit a progress report demonstrating that they have come into compliance.
- Provider
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See "Jointly Accredited Provider"
R
- Regularly Scheduled Series (RSS)
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A course that is planned as a series with multiple, ongoing sessions, e.g., offered weekly, monthly, or quarterly; and is primarily planned by and presented to the accredited organization’s professional staff. Examples: grand rounds, tumor boards, and morbidity and mortality conferences.
- Relevant Financial Relationships
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As defined in the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, specifically, Standard 3: Identify, Mitigate, and Disclose Relevant Financial Relationships, relevant financial relationships are financial relationships of any amount with ineligible companies if the educational content is related to the business lines or products of the ineligible company. Providers are required to collect information from all those individuals in control of educational content about all of their financial relationships with ineligible companies within the prior 24 months. The provider is then responsible for determining which relationships are relevant.
S
- Self-Study Report
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A comprehensive review and assessment process of the provider’s continuing education (CE) program to document accomplishments related to the joint accreditation criteria, assess areas for improvement, and outline a plan for making those improvements.
- Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education
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Requirements designed to ensure that accredited continuing education serves the needs of patients and the public, is based on valid content, and is free from commercial influence. The Standards comprise five standards: Ensure Content is Valid; Prevent Commercial Bias and Marketing in Accredited Continuing Education; Identify, Mitigate, and Disclose Relevant Financial Relationships; Manage Commercial Support Appropriately; Manage Ancillary Activities Offered in Conjunction with Accredited Continuing Education. Released in December 2020, the Standards for Integrity and Independence replace the Standards for Commercial Support. The Standards have been adopted by Joint Accreditation and the co-founders of Joint Accreditation (ACCME, ACPE, and ANCC), as well as other accrediting bodies in the health professions.
- Surveyors
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Group of trained volunteers selected by the accrediting bodies (ACCME, ACPE, and ANCC) to conduct the provider’s self-study interview and review activity documentation in activity files.
