CCS Accreditation Policies and Procedures and Application Form

CCS Accreditation Policies and Procedures and Application Form:

MOC Section 1 Educational Activities

CCS Accreditation:MOC Section 1 Educational Activities

Policies,Procedures and Application Form:

Revised December 2013

Contents

INTRODUCTION

CCS Accreditation Policies

Program Eligibility

Physician versus Non-Physician Organizations

Educational Activities Developed by Physician Organizations

Educational Activities Developed by Non-Physician Organizations

Program Development Policies

Criteria 1: Planning Committee

Criteria 2: Needs Assessment

Criteria 3: Learning Objectives

Criteria 4: Interactivity.

Criteria 5: Evaluation

Criteria 6: Ethics and Finance

Policies for the Use of CCS Accreditation Statements

Accreditation Statement for Educational Events Developed by a Physician Organization

Accreditation Statement for Educational Events Co-Developed by a Non-Physician Organization

APPLICATION PROCEDURES: HOW TO APPLY FOR ACCREDITATION

Accreditation Procedure Summary Chart

Application Process for Accreditation

Procedures After the Accreditation of the Educational Program:

Accreditation Fees

Need Help?

CPD SECTION 1 ACCREDITATION APPLICATION FORM

INTRODUCTION

The Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) is a national not-for-profit professional medical society of cardiovascular specialists and researchers. The CCS mission is to promote cardiovascular health and care through a variety of mechanisms including knowledge translation and continuing professional development (CPD).

The Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) is an accredited provider of continuing professional development (CPD) for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (Royal College). Accredited providers approve activities that satisfy the standards for group events (Section 1) and self-assessment programs (Section 3) of the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. As an accredited provider, the CCS seeks to foster knowledge translation through CPD by developing, co-developing, and accrediting a range of programs for the cardiovascular professional community.

This document contains the policies and procedures to be followed by organizations seeking Canadian Cardiovascular Society Section1MOC Accreditation.

CCS Accreditation Policies

Program Eligibility

The CCS aligns its practices with the ethical and educational standards of the MOC program. As such, the CCS follows the Royal College processes for program development so that all CCS-accredited programs are:

Target audience-driven and based on their identified perceived and unperceived educational needs.
Physician/member-relevant and physician/member driven
Evidence-based
Free of industry bias
Aligned with best practices in adult learning.

Programs must promote interaction between participants and faculty, have defined start and end dates, require registration and proof of completion, and involve CCS members in development, dissemination and delivery.

Examples of typical CCS accredited programs include the following:

National and regional conferences and symposia
Workshops
Online group learning activities
Self-assessment programs

The CCS focuses on accrediting comprehensive, interactive programs as opposed to stand-alone resources or supporting materials. Examples of resources that do not fit the CCS model for accredited programs include the following:

Journal articles
Posters
Slide kits* (static, industry-developed, off-the-shelf packages of presentation materials intended for dissemination by sales representatives and/or other non-CCS members)
Pocket reference cards
Smart phone applications

*Note: From time to time CCS member physician groups may develop slide presentations that are intended for small group learning among cardiovascular professionals – delivered by physicians to physicians. When applications are made to the CCS for accreditation of this type of resource, the CCS Accreditation Assessors will review the development process, content and dissemination strategy against Royal College accreditation policies for group learning activities to determine whether the resource is eligible for accreditation.

Physician versus Non-Physician Organizations

CCS policies and procedures for accreditation differ for educational activities developed by physician and non-physician organizations. Physician organizations develop complete educational programs and seek accreditation from CCS. Non-physician organizations must enter into a co-development relationship with the CCS or another physician organization) in order to have their educational program accredited for MOC Section 1. Use the definition below to determine whether or not you qualify as physician organization:

Definition of a Physician Organization

A physician organization is a not-for-profit group of health professionals with a formal governance structure, accountable to and serving, among others, its specialist physician members through:

Continuing professional development;
Provision of health care and/or
Research.

This definition includes (but is not limited to) the following groups:

Faculties of medicine;
Hospital departments or divisions;
Medical societies;
Medical associations;
Medical academies;
Physician research organizations; or
Health authorities not linked to government agencies

This definition excludes pharmaceutical companies or their advisory groups, medical supply and surgical supply companies, communication companies or other for-profit organizations and ventures/activities.

Types of organizations that are not considered physician organizations

Disease-oriented patient advocacy organizations (e.g. Canadian Diabetes Association)
Government departments or agencies (e.g. Health Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada)
Industry (e.g. pharmaceutical companies, medical device companies, etc.)
Medical education or communications (MEC) companies (e.g. CME Inc.)
'For-profit' on-line educators, publishing companies or simulation companies (e.g. Medscape, CAE)
Small number of physicians working together to develop educational programming

Educational Activities Developed byPhysician Organizations

The physician organization has the following responsibilities when developing educational activities for accreditation:

The development of content and the adherence to ethical and educational standards.
The payment of all honoraria to faculty.
Providing certificates of attendance to all participants.
Keeping all records of attendance for the approved CPD event. Such correspondence may be requested of participants by the RoyalCollege's Credit Validation Program

Educational Activities Developed byNon-Physician Organizations

Non-physician organizations must enter into a co-development relationship with the CCS (or another physician organization) in order to have their educational program accredited for MOC Section 1 approval.

When co-developing an event with the CCS, the non-physician organization must contact the CCSbefore the initial planning of the program begins. At this time, there must be no additional development on the program other than a topic and needs assessment. The CCS will then assign a CCS Representative to sit on the Planning Committee. The CCS Representative will participate fully in the activities of the Planning Committee including program design, implementation, and evaluation. This CCS representative must have no financial affiliations with the industry partner co-developing the event with the CCS.

The CCS Representative would participate fully in the activities of the Planning Committee. For more detailed information concerning the role of the CCS Representative, please refer to the “Handbookfor Planning Committees Developing Educational Programs".

Program Development Policies

The following program development criteria and policies must be incorporated and followed to meet the requirements for CCS accreditation. For more detailed information on program development and the following criteria, please refer to the “Handbook for Planning Committees Developing Educational Programs".

Criteria 1: Planning Committee

To ensure the relevance and value of the learning activity for the participants, the program must be developed by a planning committee that is representative of the intended target audience. CCS policies for Planning Committee composition are:

Only those representing the target audience may be members of the Planning Committee.
No members of industry may participate on the Planning Committee.
Staff from the sponsoring organization may not participate as members of the Planning Committee.
The Planning Committee must have a minimum of three (3) members.

Criteria 2: Needs Assessment

The planning committee must implement a formal educational needs assessment strategy to identify the target audience's perceived and unperceived learning needs. By determining these needs, the planning committee will be able to establish general and event specific learning objectives to ensure that selected topics are relevant to the target audience.

For more information on educational needs assessments, please refer to the “Handbook forPlanning Committees Developing Educational Programs”

Criteria 3: Learning Objectives

The planning committee must establish general and event specific learning objectives to assist participants in determining whether selected topics are relevant to their learning needs. Learning objectives must clearly map the direction of the content, how it will be presented and the expected outcome for all parties involved. Learning objectives must be:

derived from the identified perceived and unperceived needs of the target audience
printed on the program brochure and all handout materials.
observable and measurable behaviors
identify a change in knowledge, skills or attitudes of the learner at the end of the program.
based on action verbs and worded in the following manner: “At the end of this program participants will be able to:”

For more information in learning objectives, please refer to the “Handbook for Planning Committees Developing Educational Programs"

Criteria 4: Interactivity.

To be eligible for accreditation, at least 25% of the program's educational time for the presentation (that is, 15 minutes per hour) must be reserved for discussion and interaction.

The development of the educational format should be designed to best present the content developed. For example, for controversial material, a debate may be an appropriate format. Or for content based on interprofessional issues, small group breakout groups may be appropriate. For skills development simulation or performance assessment activities may be appropriate.

Criteria 5: Evaluation

The event must include an evaluation of the established learning objectives and provide opportunities for participants to identify what they have learned and its potential impact for their practice.

As each program may differ in scope, evaluation forms may need to be modified to receive the best information from your target audience.A SampleSession Evaluation form template can be found on the CCS website at:

Criteria 6: Ethics andFinance

The applicant will ensure that any potential conflicts of interest are declared by the faculty/speakers, moderators, and members of the Planning Committee and are conveyed to the respective audience within the printed/online program and as a second slide as part of the presentation. The second slide should be displayed for an appropriate amount of time for participants to read.

CCS will not accredit any event where financial assistance is provided to reimburse physicians or their families for attending.

Tagging of Individual Sessions:

As of July 1, 2012, the practice of tagging was discontinued at accredited group learning events. Tagging is the linking of sponsorship funding to a specific session within an accredited group learning event.

All sponsorship funds for accredited group learning events must be received as an educational grant and included as a source of revenue within the overall budget supporting the event in its entirety.

All organizations providing educational grants must be acknowledged as supporting the entire event. As an example, a summary page can be created recognizing the contribution of all sponsors.

Purely non-educational activities, such as delegate breakfasts, may be `tagged' but must not be included as part of an accredited group learning event.

Policies for the Use of CCS Accreditation Statements

No reference may be made to the CCS or its CPD approval system prior to the actual notification that Section 1 accreditation has been granted. Do not state “MOC/CPD accreditation pending” or similar wording in any preliminary documentation relating to the learning activity.

Once the educational program has been accredited, the accreditation statements must be incorporated within all program publications and advertisements. Please note that prior to publication/printing all documents including a CCS logo must be pre-approved by the CCS.

Accreditation Statement for Educational Events Developed by a Physician Organization

Accreditation Statement for Educational Events Co-Developed by a Non-Physician Organization

This event is an accredited group learning activity under Section 1 as defined by the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada for the Maintenance of Certification program. It is approved by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society for a maximum of < > credits. This {name of program} was co-developed with the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and {name of co-developing organization} and was planned to ensure the evidence presented is valid, objective and balanced.

Accreditation Statement for American Medical Association PRA Category 1 Credits:

“Through an agreement between the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

and the American Medical Association, physicians may convert Royal College MOC credits to

AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Information on the process to convert Royal College MOC

credit to AMA credit can be found at

APPLICATION PROCEDURES: HOW TO APPLY FOR ACCREDITATION

Accreditation Procedure Summary Chart

Physician Organizations / Non-Physician Organization
↓ / ↓
The CPD Activity Approval Application package is obtained from CCS and completed with all necessary requirements and supporting documentation at least 8 weeks in advance of the intended date to advertise the approved CPD activity. / The Program Planning Chair contacts CCS and declares intent to co- develop an activity
↓ / ↓
Approved CPD Activities must include the following statement on all activity materials, including the certificate of attendance: "This event is an accredited group learning activity under Section 1 as defined by the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada for the Maintenance of Certification program. Approved by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society for a maximum of < > credits." / CCS assigns a representative to the Planning Committee who participates fully in the activities of the Planning Committee including in needs assessment, program design, implementation, ethics and evaluation.
↓ / ↓
The physician organization is responsible for payment of honoraria to faculty. / The CPD Activity Approval Application package is obtained from CCS and completed with all necessary requirements and supporting documentation at least 8 weeks in advance of the intended date to advertise the approved CPD activity.
↓ / ↓
The physician organization is responsible for providing certificates of attendance to all participants. / The CCS ensures fulfillment of approval requirements for co-development.
↓ / ↓
The physician organization must keep records of attendance for the approved CPD activity. Such correspondence may be requested of participants by the Royal College's Credit Validation Program. / Approved CPD activities must include the following statement on all program materials, including the certificate of attendance:
"This event is an accredited group learning activity under Section 1 as defined by the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada for the Maintenance of Certification program. It is approved by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society for a maximum of < > credits. This {name of program} was co-developed with the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and {name of co-developing organization} and was planned to ensure the evidence presented is valid, objective and balanced."
↓
The CCS will issue all honoraria payments all honorarium recipients.
↓
The Program Planning Chair or designate forwards to CCS a list of participants, activity evaluation one month following the CPD activity. CCS issues certificates of attendance to all participants.
↓
The CCS will keep all records of attendance the approved CPD event. Such correspondence may be requested of participants by the Royal College's Credit Validation Program.

Application Process for Accreditation

Determine whether you are a Physician or Non-Physician Organization and follow the applicable policies and procedures for seeking accreditation.

Note: Non-Physician organizations must enter into a co-development relationship with the CCS and must contact the CCSbefore the initial program planning begins. There cannot be any program development other than a topic and needs assessment. For more information, refer to the "Procedures for Educational Activities Developed by Non-Physician Organizations" section in this document.

Submitthe completed application form, required fees and supporting documentation at least 8 weeks in advance of the intended date to advertise the approved CPD activity. Please ensure that the application is complete and contains all the information and the signatures required. Incomplete applications may lead to a delay in the accreditation process.

The applicant will abide by the Canadian Medical Association policy, Guidelines for Physicians in Interaction with Industry and/or the "Relations between Medical Organizations and Business Corporations" guide developed by Conseil québécois de développement professionnel continu des médecins.

The information contained in the application shall be the product of the Planning Chair, who shall be responsible and accountable for compliance with the requirements for approval. The CCS reserves the right to request additional information to assist in the review.

To complete the application for accreditation, both Physician and Non-Physician organizations will need:

Basic program information; title, dates, location, description, registration information
target audience information
communication/planning firm information if applicable
Planning Committee contact information
Planning committee meeting minutes
Needs assessment documentation
Learning Objectives
program development process information
Educational format and interactivity
Event schedule and program complete with presentation titles, presenter's names and times indicating discussion periods
Evaluation form/tool
Complete program budget
Conflict of Interest Disclosure forms for Planning Committee and Faculty/Speakers
Letter from Sponsor stating that funds provided are in the form of an educational grant

In addition to the above, Non-Physician organizations will need: