AHEC Continuing Medical Education

The Continuing Medical Department

Mission Statement of the Office of Continuing Medical Education at The Greensboro AHEC.

Purpose & Mission:

Greensboro AHEC Continuing Medical Education
Mission Statement (last update 5/29/2007)

The Greensboro AHEC Continuing Medical Education Program is committed to providing practicing physicians with educational interventions that will support their efforts to improve their competencies in providing patient care.

Our goals are:

To collaborate with health care providers and other AHECs to identify needs, and to design, implement, and evaluate educational activities that are scientifically based and free from commercial bias, and are tied to statewide initiatives. These activities will comply with the North Carolina Medical Society Essentials and Standards of Accreditation.
To develop a visible and accessible CME presence in our region through regular visits to community hospital medical staff conferences and physician offices.
To collaborate with other AHECs across the state in the development of educational programs and to utilize technology as a viable means to transmit CME to physicians.

Target Audience:

The Greensboro AHEC CME Programs provides educational interventions for physicians and healthcare professionals. Our primary target audience is physicians and other healthcare providers in our AHEC region.

Content Area:

Our CME Program has as its focus updates in primary care and subspecialty areas, based on ongoing needs assessment, and local and statewide health concerns.

Types of Activities:

The major component of our programming consists of recurring one-hour conferences that take place at community hospitals, medical societies, and large group practices. We also produce multi-hour symposia and conferences for regional or statewide interdisciplinary audiences.

Expected Results:

As a result of participation in Greensboro AHEC CME activities it is expected that physicians and healthcare providers will be able to improve their medical knowledge and expertise, motivating them to make changes in their clinical practice and resulting in improved patient outcomes.

The Greensboro AHEC Office of CME will work with designated CME liaisons at hospitals in our region, area physicians, and others in the identification of needs, the development of educational objectives, the selection of topics and faculty, and program evaluation to ensure that each activity meets the Essential Areas and Policies established by the ACCME.

Credit:

There are two categories of credit for CME: Category 1 and Category 2. Briefly, Category 1, which can only be so designated by an accredited sponsor, is an educational activity which meets the Essentials of the ACCME and conforms to American Medical Association (AMA) definitions and criteria. Category 1 activities are generally more formal didactic presentations. Category 2 consists of non-supervised learning activities such as journal clubs, reading, teaching, and patient care consultations. More information about the AMA's designation of Category 1 and 2 credit can be obtained by visiting the ACCME website at www.accme.org.

Commercial Support:

Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education

STANDARDS FOR COMMERCIAL SUPPORT OF CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION

Preamble:

The Purpose of continuing medical education (CME) is to enhance the physician's ability to care for patients. It is the responsibility of the accredited sponsor of a CME activity to assure that the activity is designed primarily for that purpose.

Accredited sponsors often receive financial and other support from non-accredited commercial organizations. Such support can contribute significantly to the quality of CME activities. The purpose of these Standards is to describe appropriate behavior of accredited sponsors in planning, designing, implementing, and evaluating certified CME activities for which commercial support is received.

Activities & Objectives:

Providing continuing medical education activities in our area hospitals through the bridge which brings medical faculty out of the university and into the community.

Developing and implementing a region-wide survey of physicians for identification of educational needs.

Developing a visible "CME presence" through visits to community hospital medical staff conferences and physician offices.

Evaluation of long-standing CME activities for modification to meet ACCME Essentials.

Exploring non-traditional, innovative approaches to continuing medical education.

Staff:

Rebecca Knight, RN, MBA
Executive Director of Medical Education and AHEC

Pamela G. Reavis
Director, CME/Mental Health/ORPCE/Pharmacy CE
Greensboro AHEC
336.832.8214

Bob Iddings, EdS, LPC
Assistant Director, CME/Mental Health/ORPCE/Pharmacy CE
Greensboro AHEC
336.832.8221

Jane Radford, MHA
CME and Mental Health Coordinator
Greensboro AHEC
336.832.8226

Tina Latham, MBA, MHA
CME and Mental Health Coordinator
Greensboro AHEC
336.832.8219

Dawn Pettus, PharmD, Assistant Director
Clinical Assistant Professor
UNC School of Pharmacy
Greensboro AHEC
336.832.7244

Sue Vincent
Project Specialist
Greensboro AHEC
336.832.7795

Carlita Smith
Project Specialist
Greensboro AHEC
336.832.8212

Patricia Parrish, BS
ORPCE Project Specialist
Greensboro AHEC
336.832.8566