The Alliance for CME recommends the following competencies for the CME professional:
1. Adult/organizational learning principles
Comprehend evidenced-based adult and organizational learning principles that improve the performance and outcomes of the physician learner and the organizations in which they work. CME professionals are expected to:
1.1 Maintain awareness of current evidenced based adult learning principles
1.2 Maintain awareness of organizational development practices that improve individual and organizational learning and performance
1.3 Conduct, support and/or apply educational research on how physicians learn and change
1.4 Remain current on the CME literature
2. Educational interventions
Apply and improve educational interventions using evidence-based adult and organizational learning principles in appropriate contexts (learners, content and settings) that produce expected results for the physician learners and the organizations in which they work. CME professionals are expected to:
2.1 Use evidenced based adult learning principles to guide the practice of CME
2.2 Identify physician learning needs using data, especially clinical practice data
2.3 Facilitate physician self assessment, self-directed learning and evaluation using appropriate data
2.4 Assist physician-learners to reflect upon present and desired levels of performance and plan the next steps in their personal education
2.5 Translate physician needs into measurable objectives
2.6 Consider the learning environment, select and apply learning formats that are effective for physician learning and meeting the expected outcome
2.7 Consider multi disciplinary educational interventions when appropriate
2.8 Provide longitudinal interventions when appropriate
2.9 Provide interactive learning and opportunities to practice skills that lead to change in physician performance
2.10 Emphasize problem-based/practice-based learning
2.11 Assure content validation in any CME educational intervention
2.12 Offer consultation within physician organizations to identify goals for education that are specific to the practice and measurable
3. Performance measurement
Use appropriate data to assess two components: 1) Educational-the success of learning interventions, especially physician performance (CME activities) and 2) Administrative-the performance of the CME program. CME professionals are expected to:
3.1 Develop, use and support an effective data management system for educational and administrative purposes
3.2 Use measurement data to assess outcomes/results of the learning intervention as a basis for determining future learning needs and for determining the application of the educational knowledge and skills
3.3 Use data to assess the performance of the CME office in meeting its mission and organizational goals
3.4 Promote continuous improvement and performance measurement as skills for physicians during educational interventions
3.5 Promote continuous improvement as an administrative skill for the staff of the CME office
3.6 Provide measurement tools and utilize reliable data to enable physician-learners to compare present levels of performance with optimum performance
4. Systems thinking
Recognize that physicians and CME professionals are part of a complex healthcare system with processes, other health providers and patients that must be considered in providing learning interventions. CME professionals are expected to:
4.1 Recognize that, when offering learning interventions, CME professionals and the individual physicians they serve are part of a team and the system in which they work.
4.2 Consider a multi-disciplinary focus for needs assessment, educational design and evaluation, as appropriate
4.3 Consider healthcare organizational needs and goals when offering CME interventions
4.4 Enable physicians, or teams, to apply in practice what is learned with limited fear of failure
4.5 Design activities with a cumulative goal of helping physicians , or teams of learners, to adopt change incrementally, assuring there is compatibility with present systems and advantage over present behaviors
4.6 Identify and help modify processes that are barriers to change and the implementation of new knowledge
5. Partnering
Identify and collaborate with key partners and stakeholders in accomplishing their CME mission. CME professionals are expected to:
5.1 Identify and collaborate with critical internal partners, including the quality improvement unit, performance improvement unit, the library, patients and other related units, to accomplish the CME mission
5.2 Identify and collaborate with external partners that enhance effective CME activities
5.3 Collaborate and build relationships that support educational improvements for the patient, the physician and the organizations in which the physician works
5.4 Apply effective communication and interpersonal skills to facilitate partnering with appropriate organizations
6. Leadership
Provide leadership for the CME program which emphasizes continuous improvement, professionalism and appropriate ethical practice. CME professionals are expected to:
6.1 Provide a vision of present role and future direction for CME and physician role and responsibilities in continued learning
6.2 Develop a model learning organization
6.3 Provide and support an environment for continuous improvement in educational practice and office operations
6.4 Promote and support appropriate change as an essential component of an effective CME program
6.5 Maintain a high standard of professionalism and ethics for all CME staff
6.6 Be an advocate for the CME program, its mission and its activities
7. Administration/management
Manage office operations to meet personnel, finance, legal, logistical, and accreditation standards. CME professionals are expected to:
7.1 Document the value of the CME program to its own organization and to the physicians that it serves
7.2 Manage finances of the CME program to meet the organizational needs
7.3 Provide appropriate logistics for educational activities to enhance the educational experience
7.4 Facilitate the work of educational committees to achieve CME program goals
7.5 Develop a management culture of the office that will reflect a collaborative, service oriented, continuous improvement system that meets the needs of the physicians served, the organization of the CME program and the accreditation standards
7.6 Assure that the CME program is in compliance with the Accreditation Essentials, Elements, and Policies and other regulatory requirements
7.7 Apply effective management skills including problem solving, communication and interpersonal skills, performance management, delegation and supervision, and organizational development
8. Self assessment and lifelong learning
Continually assess individual and organizational performance and make improvements through relevant learning experiences. CME professionals are expected to:
8.1 Engage in self assessment, identify gaps in knowledge/practice and design an individual learning plan for ongoing improvement
8.2 Continually improve educational performance of the CME program through professional development
8.3 Promote professional development for self and staff
These competency areas reflect the current literature and indicate what CME professionals should be able to do to provide effective CME. Adult/organizational learning principles, partnering, performance measurement, and self assessment and lifelong learning are the newest competencies. There is an increased emphasis on measuring outcomes, not just providing quality processes, and collaboration with key partners to produce and measure those desired outcomes. CME providers are being asked to take responsibility and demonstrate the value of CME products and services to physicians and the organizations in which they work.
How are these competencies broken down among the CME professionals? Three levels of professional responsibility have been identified in a typical CME office: leader, manager and coordinator. For each professional level of responsibility there will be different skill levels identified for each competency area. That matrix will be prepared in the future as development of the Alliance competency areas for CME professionals continues.
The list of competency areas for CME professionals
- Adult/organizational learning principles—Comprehend evidence-based adult and organizational learning principles that improve the performance and outcomes of the physician learner and the organizations in which they work.
- Educational interventions—Apply and improve educational interventions using evidenced-based adult and organizational learning principles in appropriate contexts (learners, content and settings) that produce expected results for the physician learners and the organizations in which they work.
- Performance measurement—Use appropriate data to assess two components: 1) Educational-the success of learning interventions, especially physician performance (CME activities) and 2) Administrative-the performance of the CME program.
- Systems thinking—Recognize that physicians and CME professionals are part of a complex healthcare system with processes, other health providers and patients that must be considered in providing learning interventions.
- Partnering—Identify and collaborate with key partners and stakeholders in accomplishing their CME mission.
- Leadership—Provide leadership for the CME program that emphasizes continuous improvement, professionalism and appropriate ethical practice.
- Administration/management—Manage office operations to meet personnel, finance, legal, logistical, and accreditation standards.
- Self assessment and lifelong learning—Continually assess individual and organizational performance and make improvements through relevant learning experiences
Extracted from Alliance for CME website on April 10, 2008.